


Epilogue

by orochiis



Series: Invisible Ties [10]
Category: Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Angst, F/F, F/M, Post Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-12-08
Packaged: 2018-07-10 14:28:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 55,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6988999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orochiis/pseuds/orochiis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been two years since Robin made the final blow against Grima, and Chrom is left to fend for himself.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Defiance

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so, this is going to be hella angsty because I hate myself, but it will have nice fluffy moments between many characters as the story progresses! Rating may change, but I'm satisfied for now.

The council of Ylisse meets every Tuesday at ten a.m., and runs until twelve. All the councilors are there, as well as the General of the Army, or in this case the king. The army’s tactician is supposed to be present as well, as well as the head of the war council. The mayor of Ylisstol usually puts in an appearance as well, bringing to attention the problems on the street.  
  
Since the war, it meets every day, starting as soon as everyone arrives and ending when everyone is too tired to think any more. It’s become more of a therapy session, with the actual councilors making more decisions elsewhere. The Shepherds are always present, sitting in small groups to comfort each other. You’d think that two years after the end of the war and the death of Grima everything would’ve returned to normal, but that wasn’t exactly the case.  
  
To give them some credit, they still managed to make decisions, functioning almost as well as the previous councils. Lissa acted as a go between, passing on their thoughts to the mayor, who usually saw it through to completion. Despite being slightly dysfunctional and oftentimes emotional, they pulled through, trying their very best to sort out the country after the mess that Valm and Plegia had caused over the previous years. 

“Blue, what are we doing about the slums that I told you about?” Gaius asks, tapping his nails impatiently.  
  
“I don’t know. I… I’ll put someone on it. Get them to go to the mayor directly. It’d be easier. Any volunteers?”  
  
“Chrom, don’t you think it would make more sense if Gaius continued his work on it? He knows most about the situation, so…” Lissa suggests and the king nods tiredly.

“Good idea. I’ll entrust that job to you, then,” he says, with a further nod in the other man’s direction.  
  
“Your Majesty…”  
  
“Olivia,” Chrom warns.  
  
“Sorry,” she says, flushing red and turning her head away to the side. “Chrom, I received a letter for you the other day.” She passes it down the table towards him, and he stops dead in his tracks when he sees the familiar handwriting. “Inigo sent it,” she smiles, and Lon’qu looks fondly at her. They always sit together, and they always hold hands, as if they would lose each other if they didn’t.  
  
“Thank you.” Chrom manages a smile, the first genuine one of the day, and this causes Lissa to smile. She’s had many more reasons to be happy over the past few years, with her marriage and birth of her first child. Both her husband and baby aren’t present, but they’ll probably arrive later, she reckons.

“Anything else?” Chrom asks. For a moment, he thinks they’re done for the day, but then the topic he’s avoiding is brought up.  
  
“It’s two years today, right?” Tharja drawls, draping herself across the table to get a better view of the king. Twelve pairs of eyes fall upon her, some filled with tears, and the others glaring at saying something so insensitive.  
  
“Right.” It’s a touchy subject for any of them, but especially for Chrom. Not only did his army fall to pieces and his kingdom was thrown into disarray, but he lost his wife and the tactician of the army.  
  
“I felt that… we should do something to commemorate it. I know that the citizens are expecting something,” she reminds, and suddenly it was okay to point it out.   
  
“Like what?” Chrom asks, scribbling it down on his page.

“I think a vigil or the like at the statue would be sufficient,” Libra suggests to murmurs of approval from the others. “We could lay flowers, light candles and say prayers. It would be small and quiet, but still enough to satisfy.”  
  
“Early evening okay for everyone?” Lissa asks in Chrom’s place, sensing his change in body language. There are mumbles of ‘yes’, and Lissa nods. Maribelle is the first to move, grandly getting out of her chair.  
  
“Well! I’ll get us some candles, then? Nice ones, of course, none of that cheap stuff. Come on, dear! I’m sure Brady is beside himself,” she says, grabbing her parasol off the table and beckoning to Gaius.  
  
“I’m coming, Twinkles, don’t you worry.” He swipes one of the candlesticks from the middle of the table, holds it up to the light and smirks, throwing it back in his satchel. No one questions it, and he saunters it out, following his wife who is holding the door open for him impatiently. “See you crazy lot later.”  
  
Slowly, the rest of the shepherds leave, to prepare for the evening event in one way or another. Most of them have children of their own, including Chrom. As if on cue, a nanny appears, a three-year-old Lucina toddling along behind her. Chrom’s spirits are lifted, and Lissa looks on as they child throws herself at her father.  
  
“Daddy!”   
  
“Good morning, Lucina,” he smiles, picking her up onto his knee. She may still be young, but she looks almost identical to her older counterpart, living out the rest of the life on a small farm in Rosanne, as far away from the Ylissian capital as she and Inigo could manage. She had let her father know of her plans to move, and he supported her wholeheartedly, as long as she kept in touch. Although her letters rarely came, they were much appreciated in the exalted household, as she often wrote to her most beloved ‘Aunt Lissa’ as well.  
  
“Are you doing anything today?” Lucina asks expectantly, and Chrom sets her down, getting up himself.

“We have an event to attend this evening, but you’re most definitely invited to that,” he says, holding her hand and gently leading her out of the room. “Owain will be there, and I expect your other friends will be too!”

“All the others are _boys_ ,” the princess complains, and she pouts, looking for a moment just like her mother.  
  
“What about Noire?” Chrom reminds gently. “And you never know, Kjelle might be here.”  
  
“Noire is weird, Daddy. She doesn’t talk much, and she yells a lot when she does. But I suppose if Kjelle is there, it’ll be okay.” She cheers up quickly, and leads her father through to the courtyard, where Ricken and Owain are sat. The cross over to them, and Lucina and Owain immediately run off, playing some convoluted game of chase.  
  
Lissa sits beside Ricken on the grass, and Chrom sits down too, tangling his fingers in the blades. A comfortable silence falls between them as they watch their children run about. It has been a long time since the war first began, when Lissa was just sixteen and Chrom just nineteen. They had come a long way, and grown in more ways than one. But they were still alive, and lucky to be.  
  
“You haven’t gone looking for her recently,” Lissa reminds gently. “Have you…”

“I haven’t given up on her,” he answers, and Ricken looks away uncomfortably.  
  
“I miss her a lot too, Chrom, but… well, I think it’s time maybe you… maybe you stopped. It’s been two years and she hadn’t been spotted. There are still posters up everywhere looking for her, but… if she’s found, someone will report her.”  
  
“Give me one more chance,” Chrom says, staring directly at Lucina. “For her. Give me one more chance. I don’t want to bring Lucina up without a mother.”  
  
“Do you have any idea where she might be?”  
  
He doesn’t answer for a minute, instead, lying back on the grass and ignoring her comment. She rolls her eyes and turns to Ricken, and she tells him about the event in the evening. Chrom doesn’t listen, blocking out the sound of her voice drilling incessantly into his brain. Deep down he knows she’s right, and that if Robin were coming back, she most likely would’ve by now. But he doesn’t want to admit it. His wife isn’t dead. She just _isn’t_.

“I do,” he answers after five minutes, and Lissa looks back to him with a soft look on her face.  
  
“One more go then. We can leave tomorrow. Is that…”  
  
“Fine with me,” Ricken laughs. “I can look after both of the kids. I know…” he turns to Chrom, glancing at the elder man with apprehension clear on his face. “I know how important Robin was to you. I believe in you, Chrom.”

* * *

Dinner is at six, but a horrible feeling has settled in Chrom’s stomach, so he excuses himself, leaving Lucina distraught at the thought of her father being absent from the meal. Lissa kindly reminds her that she would be there, as would Ricken and Owain, to which she replies that Owain was ‘only one and a half’ and therefore he didn’t count. Lissa has to stifle a laugh at this, ushering the child through to the dining room while Chrom takes off in another direction.  
  
It isn’t that he is ill. The thought of having to get up in front of everyone and speak about _her_ is unbearable. Of course there are others he could speak of as well, but if he doesn’t mention her, everyone would know that he was avoiding the topic. He decides to leave the majority of the service in Libra’s capable hands, knowing that the priest was much more capable of delivering some semblance of a well-written tribute.

He lifts Lucina’s letter off his bedside cabinet, sitting on the edge of his bed. He always is on the same side of the bed- he can’t bring himself to sleep in a different way from when Robin was there. He tears the top of the envelope, unfolding the parchment which Lucina’s handwriting covers. His eyes tear up at the thought of his daughter, living on a different continent just to avoid messing up his life any more. She wouldn’t be able to predict anything more, since Robin had taken her fate into her own hands, and therefore there was no need for her to stick around. Chrom understood, although he had become quite attached to the older version of his daughter.

 _Father,_ it read. 

_I’m sorry for not writing more often. It feels strange to speak with someone only a few years older than me and call them my father._

_Things are good out here in Rosanne. We are working hard at the farm, and we’ve finally settled down after travelling for a while. We’ve been growing some vegetables, and we sell them at the market in town. Inigo’s very good at selling, but that’s probably because he mock flirts with all the ladies. I’ve been sewing some dresses to sell at the stall as well, but no one seems to be interested in them._

_I wanted to write this time because I know it’s the two year anniversary of mother’s death and subsequently, the end of the war. I hope that you over in Ylisse are doing well at this time, and I understand that’s hard for you. In my timeline, you died before mother, so it’s strange for me to write to you and not to her. I miss her._

There’s a teary mark and a smudged word here, that Chrom figures is from Lucina. He runs his finger over it, knowing the world of troubles that girl has seen at such a young age. She deserved none of it, but at least his Lucina here could live without the worries of the day.

 _I have Falchion hung up on the wall above the fireplace,_ she continues. _A neighbour commented that it looked like the ruler of Ylisse’s sword, and I had to stop myself from laughing (I told her it was a replica). Inigo’s been practicing his dancing a lot recently, and the other day he broke a few vases._  
  
I hope that one day you can come and visit, father. Our address is at the top of the page, if you ever feel inclined. I know it was I that put this distance between us, but I still think it’s for the best. Just don’t bring baby Lucina with you, though I’m sure she’s very cute. I can make a nice stew now, I’ve discovered, so we can give you some if you visit.  
  
I wish you well, father.

_Lucina._

She only signs it with her name, and Chrom folds it up, setting it beside his bed once again. Lucina’s writings are always brief, but this is the first mention of going to visit in Rosanne. Chrom thinks that he might- and maybe bring Lon’qu and Olivia to see their son as well, if they can bear to leave the younger Inigo behind (the gods know they’re awfully attached to the baby).

He glances at the clock, and upon seeing that an hour has passed, he makes his way back down to the great hall, where the shepherds agreed they would meet before going to the memorial.

* * *

A huge stone statue is what makes up the war memorial. It’s in the graveyard, and the recovered bodies are buried under it, with individual markings written by the families. It’s beside the other memorials, erected for other wars and other soldiers from another time, before any of them were born. Maribelle has set candles around it, and makes a scene out of lighting them all individually. A small crowd has gathered by this stage, keeping a respectable distance, and Lucina is pulling on Chrom’s sleeve impatiently.  
  
“Daddy,” she whispers as he brings his head closer to hers. “Why are all the people here?”  
  
“To remember your mummy and all the other people that died in the war,” he replies, squeezing her hand gently.  
  
“Okay,” she says, contented with his answer.

Slowly, members of the shepherds place flowers at the base of the memorial and on individual graves. Lissa places lilies on Frederick’s grave, and Sumia hides her tears as she puts daisies that Lucina picked on Cordelia’s headstone. The other graves aren’t forgotten either, and soon the whole memorial is brightly coloured. Libra nods at Chrom, who passes Lucina over to Miriel to mind for a few minutes while he speaks.  
  
“It’s been two years since the world changed utterly. In some ways, it was good, as we killed the Fell Dragon Grima, and prevented him from ever coming back. In other ways,” he sighs, taking a deep breath. Many pairs of eyes watch him, sharing in his pain. “In other ways, it was bad, as we lost eight members of the shepherds, and I’m sure that countless other civilians died in the struggle.” There’s a moment of silence, and many people bowed their heads in respect for the unnamed people who went missing and whose bodies were never found.  
  
“I’d like to acknowledge the eight members briefly, if that’s okay with everyone. Donnel, a boy from a farm in Southern Ylisse who begged us to take him with us on our journey, and who proved his worth against many enemies, only to fall at the hand of Walhart the Conqueror. Gregor, a mercenary, who joined us without a word and somehow integrated into our party with no one even noticing him. He was a wall of strength, and was strong both on and off the battlefield.” Nowi bursts into tears at this- despite a shaky start, the two managed to become fast friends.

“Sully and Stahl, two cavaliers and two friends who were some of the first members of the shepherds and… I don’t even know where to begin. Not only were they best friends and strong opponents, but also they cared for each other deeply, even though romantically they weren’t involved at all. Both are missed across the country, and honestly, no one has replaced Sully on the battlefield.  
  
“Henry, who was a dark mage from Plegia and technically the enemy, but in a strange way he joined us. He was obsessed with death and killing and hopefully he’ll be happy wherever he is.”  
  
“He was a weird kid,” Gaius says audibly, and everyone laughs at his comment.

“That he was,” Chrom says, managing a smile. It’s only going to get harder from here, her knows, as the last three people on the list were the ones he was closest to. “Cordelia,” he mumbles, glancing at Sumia who nods in encouragement. “Cordelia, the head of the Pegasus Knight division, and someone who had immense untapped potential. She could’ve done so well, but… she was cut down by a Grimleal archer on the battlefield. She was so strong, and a huge loss to us and to her family.” He spares another look to Sumia, who, although her eyes are filled with tears, is nodding and smiling.  
  
“Frederick, a man older than me and infinitely wiser. He was strong and capable and looked after Lissa and I like no other man could. He will be sorely missed within the Ylisse household. No one else will be there to make us eat food we don’t like and pick up our dirty laundry,” Chrom laughs, before his eyes fill with tears. He tries not to dwell on it too much, but he misses Frederick and his often-unwanted advice more than he can say with words at the moment. He takes a deep breath, knowing that the last person on his list will make his heart break into a million tiny pieces.  
  
“And Robin. My wife. The tactician of the army. I won’t bore you with the details of how much I miss her, and how much I love her, because I…” He can feel Lissa glaring at him, and he shuts his mouth. “Thank you.”  
  
There’s applause from the shepherds and the crowd that gathered, and then Libra steps up, his back to the shepherds. Chrom lifts Lucina into his arms, his last reminder of his dearly departed.   
  
“Naga, we pray to you, keep the souls of the departed safe. Guide those on earth to a happy and fulfilling life, and may we never forget those who have already left us. Amen.”  
  
“Amen.”

* * *

Chrom’s tears finally subside at three a.m., when he thinks that he’s finally got a grip on himself. The room is dark, with only a few candles lit and the moonlight casting itself through the window. As he gets up to blow the candles out, a knock comes to the door, scaring him half out of his skin. He crosses the room to open it, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. If it’s Lissa, he’s ready to punch her, but it’s someone he doesn’t expect at all.

“Sorry for waking you, Captain.”

The only other Pegasus Knight stands at his doorway, dressed in her nightclothes. She’s been staying in the palace grounds since the war, in a tiny cottage for one across the other side of the acres.  
  
“I hadn’t slept yet. Do you want to come in?” He asks.  
  
“No, no, I’ll be quick. I just wanted to thank you for your words about Cordelia earlier. They were so kind.”  
  
“That’s no problem,” Chrom says, unsure if it’s just his tiredness that’s confusing him or if there’s something else.  
  
“I have one more thing… I feel awful for hiding this from you, but…” She holds an envelope out in front of her, with Chrom’s name written on it in a hasty scribble. His heart stops and his breath hitches as he takes it from Sumia’s hand, his hand shaking.

“How long have you had this?” He asks, a mixture of elated and angry, but his voice just comes out sad.  
  
“Since before the final battle against Grima. Robin told me to give it to you two years after the battle ended. I wanted to give it to you earlier, but… well, I didn’t want to go against her will.”  
  
“Thank you, Sumia.”  
  
“I know… I know where you’re going tomorrow. And I wish you the best of luck. I know no one else believes you that Robin is still alive, but trust me captain, I do! And I want you to know that I’m on your side one hundred percent.”

“Sumia…”  
  
“I know it’s been hard,” she says, smiling although her eyes are quickly filling with tears. “But we’ll get through this together, I know it.” She pats his shoulder, standing on her toes so she can reach. “Good luck.”  
  
“Thank you,” he says, and he hugs her, more to hide his tears than anything else.  
  
“Good night, captain,” she says, withdrawing from the hug and making her way down the corridor. Chrom watches her go, his hand holding the letter still shaking uncontrollably. He retreats into his room and is asleep almost immediately, letter crushed in his hand.


	2. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chrom and Lissa travel south

Chrom wakes in a cold sweat, sitting up straight, eyes wide and hands clasping the sheets that covered him. The letter lies discarded on the ground- clearly; he threw it there in the middle of the night. A nightmare occupied his dreams, and now he has to deal with the aftermath. Robin was in it again, and she sacrificed herself to Grima once again. These thoughts don't just plague his dreams; they're in every waking moment too.

"Chrom? It's nearly ten a.m.," Lissa calls through the door, not even bothering to knock. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'll be down to breakfast in half an hour, and then we can head for the south."

"If you're sure…" Lissa says uncertainly. "It's a long journey, you know. It'll take us a good few days to get there!"

"Yes, I'm aware. I'm more than willing to stay in a town or two on the way, as long as we find what we're looking for."

"Fine!" Lissa sighs. "We'll leave at eleven, okay? Be ready by then."

He listens to her footsteps disappear down the corridor, and waits until they are no longer audible before making his way out of bed. He swings his legs onto the carpeted floor, and lifts the folded piece of parchment with his name scrawled on it. Robin's handwriting is so familiar to him- he still keeps many of her original tactics plans from the war under the bed. They were in the war council tent at camp, but he didn't have the heart to throw out any of her belongings after the war ended.

He opens the piece of paper cautiously. He's scared of what it might say, but he opens it anyway, glancing over the words written in her untidy scrawl.

_Chrom,_

_If you're reading this, it means that Sumia has done her job of keeping this letter a secret from you. Tell her thank you, if you haven't already. It also means that I am gone, and I haven't come back._

_It means that Lucina is three, nearly four, and it means that I've failed as a mother, but I'm sure you're the world's greatest father. It means that the war is over, and Grima is dead, and it means that the shepherds have probably disbanded._

_I know that this is hard for you, but I'm sorry for leaving you alone. Maybe one day you'll find someone else that can act as a mother to Lucina, and I'll be watching with happiness from wherever I am._

_You know that you meant the world to me, Chrom. In fact, you became my world, quickly after we met. I was determined to protect you, even at the cost of my life. And then we beat Gangrel, and you weren't dead and you asked me to marry you, and that was possibly the happiest day of my life._

_I know I wasn't much of a wife to you, and I definitely wasn't much of a mother to Lucina. I doubt she even remembers me, that's how much I saw her. But I hope that you can do a better job than I ever could. And I know you will, Chrom, because that's the sort of person you are. You're kind and nurturing, and the best possible person to raise our child and be the leader of the country._

_And who knows, one day I might come back. You might find me. These are all mights, though. Nothing is certain._

_I know for certain that we'll meet in the next life, at least. There are invisible ties connecting us, like I told you so many times. They're between all of us, but I think the link between us is strongest, and Lucina is the proof of that._

_Never give up, Chrom._

_I love you._   
_Robin_

The tears in his eyes aren't concealable, and he smudges some of the ink when the spots of water land on the paper. Maybe you'll find someone else, she wrote. There was no way in _hell_ he could find someone else. Robin meant the world to him as well. No- she _was_ his world. He words were only encouragement to him, and he had to guess that Sumia had also opened and read the letter at some stage. There was no way she would wait until such a moment to give him the letter, even if Robin's instructions were to wait two years. She knew that was a moment when he needed Robin's support, and even if she wasn't physically there, she could be emotionally.

Chrom dresses himself, making his way downstairs to meet with Lissa. There's still twenty minutes before she wants to leave, so he manages some breakfast, sitting in silence. Lissa's not there, probably packing a bag (he hopes she'll put some of his stuff in there, but he doubts it). Ricken, however, is at the table, as are Owain and Lucina. Ricken is attempting to feed Owain with a spoon, who has decided in the last few days he won't feed himself. Lucina makes her way over to Chrom, grabbing his hand.

"Daddy, Uncle Ricken says that you're going away," she complains, pulling the pout that makes her look so much like her mother.

"I am, Lucina," he offers, hoping that she doesn't notice that he's obviously been crying. "But Uncle Ricken will look after you. And I'm sure Maribelle will be here as well. I left a note for her to come and see you."

"I like Maribelle," Lucina says, a smile appearing on her face. "Oh! Will she take me horse riding?"

"You'll have to ask her nicely. And tell her I say you can go, okay? But remember your manners."

"I will!"

"That's my girl," he says, ruffling her hair gently and pulling her in for a quick hug. She skips off, back to her place at the table to finish her breakfast.

Lissa enters the room after that, setting a slightly overstuffed bag by the door, accompanied by a slightly emptier one. She marches towards Ricken, taking the spoon out of his hand and giving it to Owain.

"You have to eat all by yourself, Owain, or else you'll end up like your Uncle Chrom!" She says, smiling at the baby but shooting a septic look across the room at her brother. "I had to pack you a bag, you know," she says standing with her hands on her hips. "Twenty five years of age, and forgets to bring clothes when traveling. Gods, I'm surprised you're the exalt!"

"…Would you like to be the exalt?" Chrom asks quietly.

"What?"

An uncomfortable silence falls in the room. Lucina starts humming awkwardly, a tune that Chrom knows but can't put a finger on. Ricken lifts the book he was reading and sifts through the pages until he finds where he was before. Owain hits his spoon off the bowl in a temper, but neither of his parents respond.

"Would you like to be the exalt?" Chrom repeats slowly. "I mean, Lucina is far too young to do the job, so that means that you're next in line for the throne."

"What are you talking about?" Lissa asks, throwing her hands onto the table with a bang. "You can't abdicate!"

"I have the lowest approval rating since even before dad," Chrom points out.

"That's because you have depression!" Lissa cries, and Chrom is silent once more. It's been the elephant in the room for two years. No one has said it, and certainly not to his face. "You're… you're grieving. And for good reason! But… Chrom, I know you're a great leader. You brought peace to the country. And I know that, given time, you'll be great again," she continues, her voice gentler this time.

"Chrom you led us to victory against Gangrel and Walhart and Validar and Grima, and I think that, like Lissa says, you're a great leader. Those victories have to count for something, right?" Ricken says, looking up from the pages of his novel.

"I couldn't have done it without-" Chrom starts, but Lissa knows what he's about to say and cuts him off.

"Without Robin," she nods. "But she's still with you, right? In your heart, at least."

She walks towards him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She's still a lot shorter than he is, but he awkwardly returns the hug, one arm around her back. She lets go, and lifts the bags from beside the door. She holds his out towards him, and he stands, taking it off her with a small smile.

"Now. Let's go put that mind at ease."

The five make their way out into the hallway, where a few maids stand, keeping guard over the door. Chrom dismisses them kindly, and they take their leave. Ricken stands between the two children, holding their hands. Lissa moves towards Owain, and places a kiss on his forehead, to a slight noise of disgust from the boy.

"Be good for your father, Owain," she smiles. She kisses Ricken, too, quick and chaste, and blushing because her brother is present.

"Goodbye, Lucina. Don't forget to ask Maribelle about horse riding," he reminds, giving the young girl a parting hug.

The siblings make their way towards the door, followed by the other members of their family. Ricken is smiling, still holding on to the two children, who seem keen to be elsewhere.

"Good luck," he smiles, and Chrom nods in acknowledgment.

"Bye, mama!" Owain says, and Lissa laughs.

"Have fun, daddy!"

They walk off without another word, not looking back to the palace as they leave the grounds.

* * *

Southern Ylisse is very aesthetically pleasing, filled with greenery and empty fields. It is a well-known area for farming, and although crops and animals are thriving in most of the fields, they often come across a field where the grass was over grown. These are the places that Chrom was most interested in- after all, it was in a not too similar field that they stumbled across Robin in the first place.

"So…" Lissa starts, swinging her arms by her side as she walked. "Are we headed to that field we were in all that time ago?"

"Yes. It's the only place I can think of where she might be," Chrom says, barely containing a sigh.

"For your sake, I hope she's there," mumbles Lissa, and Chrom turns to her in surprise. She's been so negative about the idea the whole time. From the moment Chrom suggested that Robin might still be alive, Lissa had laughed and put up a fight any time he wanted to go look for her. And understandably so- they had all seen Robin give up her life for the sake of Ylisse. And when your brother becomes obsessed with searching for someone who you saw die in front of your eyes, you're obviously going to be upset.

"Thanks, Lissa," he manages after a moment, giving her half a smile.

"You've been down here before, though. More than once. And… well, she hasn't been here."

"I… I don't even have anything to remember her by, Lissa. None of her clothes, or other personal belongings. She didn't have anything when she arrived with us, and she never really gained anything. I just want to _find_ her. Or something that belongs to her."

"You have Lucina," she points out quietly. _Lucina is proof of that._ Robin's words from the letter jump to the forefront of his mind once again, and he smiles.

"I don't deserve a daughter like her," he sighs, though Lissa can tell he's happy from the tone of his voice.

"You do. She's probably the smartest almost four year old I've ever met. Unlike her father," Lissa snorts.

"Well, she certainly inherited her brains from her mother," Chrom acknowledges.

"And her looks from you. Seriously, she looks exactly like you!"

"You wouldn't be the first person to point that out."

"Well, it's true!"

"I wish I had some of her clothes, or books or something. Her wedding dress is all I have, and I'm hardly going to get that out every time I miss her."

"It'd be out all the time, let's be honest," Lissa points out dryly.

The two spend the night in Southtown, as close to their favourite field as possible. The owners of the pub in town are practically beside themselves when the two royal siblings turned up on their doorstep late at night, asking for a room. They got one with ease, and soon fell asleep, the walking from the past days taking its toll. The beds weren't the comfiest, but with no other choice, they had to make do.

* * *

The early April sun beat down on them as they made their way out of town, walking up the hill that Chrom knew like the back of his hand. He had walked up this way a million times before, only to become disappointed when there was no white haired girl in Plegian mage's robes, asleep in the grass below the yew tree. Part of him knew not to expect anything this time, but there was a different feel in the air this time around.

Maybe it was just imagination, but things seemed different. Lissa suggesting that they go look was the first flag in his mind, and Ricken telling him that he believed in him was the second. Lissa yelling at him at breakfast a few days was another sign- she was acting uncharacteristically forward. It wasn't that the younger girl was shy; she just felt her opinion wasn't as important as everyone else's. And for her to express her emotions in an outburst like that… well, it was easy to see why Chrom reacted the way he did.

And of course, Sumia's visit with Robin's letter sent up warning signs in his head. Maybe Robin knew, maybe she could tell that two years was the time it would take her to get back. Maybe she told other people, and not Chrom, and that was why everyone was acting so weird. Maybe that's why she left the letter for two years after the fall of Grima and her death.

Or, maybe he was just being paranoid.

He quickly realises that Lissa isn't beside him, and looks back to see her sitting on the ground, staring out over Southtown. He wanders back towards her, seating himself beside his sister. The view is impressive; he must admit- he's never paid much attention to it before. They sit in silence, Chrom not wanting to ask Lissa what's weighing on her mind.

"I'm scared," she admits abruptly, and Chrom takes her slender hand within his own.

"Of what?"

"What if… what if we find Robin, and she's not Robin? What if she's Grima?" Her eyes are filled with tears, and she blinks fast, trying to dispel them the best she can.

"Is that why you've been so reluctant to help me look for Robin?" Chrom asks gently, and she nods shakily.

"I'm sorry!" She says, throwing herself at him and wrapping her arms around his neck. He tenses automatically, and relaxes, patting her head in the older brotherly way that he has.

"It's fine, Lissa. I'm just glad you admitted this to me."

"It was selfish of me," she sniffs, wiping her tears on the end of her sleeve while fishing about in her pocket for a tissue.

"I understand, though. I have many reservations as well. Grima has never entered my mind before, but I know where you're coming from. She was already a vessel for the dragon so what if when she killed it, it's soul entered her body?"

"Exactly. I'm… well, worried for her. And worried for you."

"Don't worry about me," he says, ruffling her hair and getting to his feet. He holds a hand out for her to take, and helps her up. They stay stationary for a moment, before she turns to face the top of the hill, determination evident on her face.

"There's only one way to find out. Let's go."

Overgrown grass makes up most of the plateau at the top of the hill. Daisies litter the grass, barely visible through the grass. The yew tree stands tall at the end of the field. It takes a long time for Chrom to make the first step towards it after they reach the top, anticipation and fear freezing him in place. What would he even say if she was there? He hadn't ever got that far in his head, and now the thought occurs to him, he's terrified.  
"Lissa, what do I say if she is here?"

"Have you not thought of this before? You've had two years to come up with some moving speech!"

"I don't want to scare her," Chrom decides. "So, something soft. Gentle. If she's asleep, I don't want to wake her loudly."

"Then… do it the way you did before. Just talk, and hope that she comes to." He glares at her, and she shrugs in indifference. "Hey, it worked last time!"

"You're right. Let's do this."

They make their way to the end of the field, flattening a path of grass as they go. It'll be easier to get out again that way, and Chrom knows that they'll need the obvious way out. The tree is fast approaching, and Chrom feels butterflies- no, dragons- floating around in his stomach, making him feel sick. Lissa gasps as they get closer, and see that there _is_ in fact someone under the tree.

It's clearly a woman, and she's clearly asleep, her white hair splayed out around her in a halo. Her hands are resting on her stomach, folded neatly, almost regally. Her robes are messy, a little torn, and burnt around the bottom. Chrom knows that the left corner was burnt on Grima's back by an enemy's Bolganone attack, and he knows that this woman is definitely Robin, without mistake. She looks so peaceful, her eyes closed, no stresses concerning her face.

"Are you just going to let her lie there?" Lissa asks, apprehension clear in her voice. He doesn't reply, merely staring at her face. "Chrom, we have to do _something_."

"What do you propose we do?" He asks, glancing over at her.

"I… I dunno!" She cries, and with that, Robin's eyes flutter open, blink blearily in the harsh midday sunlight. Lissa gasps again, her eyes lighting up and a grin gracing her face.

"I see… you're awake now," Chrom says, trying to hide the smile and act as professional as possible.

"Hey there," she says gently, smiling at her sister in law.

"There are better places to take a nap than on the ground, you know," he points out, and Lissa giggles, remembering the use of the line from six years ago. "Give me your hand," he says, holding his own gloved one out to her. Robin takes it, and he pulls her up, finally allowing himself to smile.

"Welcome back. It's over now," he says softly.

He has to stop himself from kissing her, or even hugging her, because of the look on her face. She looks around, tying her white hair up with the band that previously resided on her wrist. She gives Chrom a once over, and then Lissa, and then looks past them. He takes a step back, and Lissa grabs his arm. Her eyes are normal, the clear hazel they were before, unlike the black and red of Grima's. It sets their minds at ease, but something still seems amiss.

"Sorry," she says, opening her mouth for the first time to speak. "What did you mean… it's over now?"

"The war," Chrom explains gently. She's been asleep for two years, so it's understandable that she's a little out of it. This should clear things up, but her eyebrows furrow, glaring at the ground.

"I… I don't think I knew about that. Where… where am I?" She asks, her fingers brushing gently over the long grass. "And sorry, but who are you?"

Lissa gasps audibly, bringing a hand to her mouth.

"Chrom… her amnesia is back!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pain and suffering


	3. Remembering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Tharja intervenes.

"Amnesia?" Robin asks. "Well, that explains why I have no idea where I am."

"This is a country known as Ylisse," Chrom explains, and she nods, as if this has triggered some kind of memory.

"I've heard of this place. Am I from here?"

"No. Perhaps it would be best if we sit down."

She does so without question, making herself comfortable among the long grass. Chrom flattens some of it down, with Lissa helping, and they too sit, passing worried glances to each other.

"Did you two know me before?"

"Yes," Lissa answers, before Chrom can put his foot in his mouth. "You were… a prominent member of the royal house of Ylisse. And very important to the army! Oh, we should introduce ourselves," she says, changing the topic before Robin can question what she just said. "I'm Lissa, and this is my brother Chrom." She smiles sincerely, and Robin manages a smile.

"I suppose you know what my name is too, then?"

"Robin," Chrom answers, not missing a beat, and the white haired woman smiles.

"That's right. I recognise it now you've said it. Now… what was that about… royalty?" She asks, addressing Lissa again.

"Y-yes. Well, not by blood. It was mainly because of your… talents as a tactician. It made you a valuable asset to the army."

"If it wasn't by blood, then it must've been by marriage, right?" She says, glancing at her hands, folded over within each other. "That explains the ring, then," she laughs. She doesn't ask whom she was married to, and Lissa breathes a sigh of relief.

"We were really good friends," Lissa says, trying to steer Robin as far away from marriage as she possibly could.

"I hope we can be friends again, even if I don't get my memory back," she smiles, before turning to Chrom. "What about us? Were we friends?" Lissa shoots him a warning look, and he as to open and close his mouth a few times before answering.

"Yes. Very good friends, in fact. You were a great asset to the army, and… well, I hope you reconsider rejoining at some point in the future."

"Tell me about that."

"We found you out here before, by accident. It must've been about six years ago, now!" Lissa starts, folding her legs and trying to recount the time long ago. "You joined us in the army, and we fought a lot together! You were a really good tactician, but you were also good at fighting too!"

"She's right. We fought many battles, against different people and different countries. Our most prominent foes were Plegia, to the west, and Valm, across the sea."

"And where was I from?"

"…Plegia. It was interesting when you found out. You'd been living in Ylisse as a Ylissian for three years by that point, so to learn you were from a member of their royal house came as a shock to all of us."

"Right," she nods, and Chrom looks worried for a split second. "Sorry for asking so many questions," she laughs. "Did I have amnesia when you found me before?"

Lissa nods. "You didn't even remember your own name for a while. But it turned out fine in the end!"

"Do you… do you want me to rejoin the army?" She asks, although she looks apprehensive.

"Your help would be greatly appreciated. We can give you somewhere to stay, as you lived in the palace anyway," Chrom says, noting her furrowed brow.

"Are you… are you royals?"

"Yes!" Lissa responds. "You know, it's funny you say that, because last time you didn't realise we were for ages as well!"

"It's not my fault," she pouts, and Chrom is reminded of Lucina, and there's a pang in his stomach. "You certainly don't _look_ like royals!"

"That is true," Chrom admits with a laugh. "It's to be expected, especially of someone of foreign blood. But you've always been one of us, ever since you decided to join the shepherds. No one ever considered you an outsider."

"Apart from Frederick," Lissa points out helpfully.

"Frederick isn't with us anymore," Chrom mumbles, and Robin's face softens. His facial expression is so, so clear to her, but she can't quite place where she knows it from.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Robin whispers in return, and Lissa rolls her eyes at how sombre the scene is becoming.

"And Maribelle."

"Well, that's Maribelle for you. She warmed to you eventually, I promise. She'll be glad to see you back, if you do decide to."

"I think I'd like that," Robin tells them, nodding firmly. Chrom clambers to his feet and holds a hand out to help her up, which she gladly takes.

"We should head back then. We'll avoid Southtown, as I want to deliver the news straight to the capital."

"Chrom, that means we have to take the long route," Lissa complains, but Chrom brushes her off.

"Are you ready to go, Robin?"

"Yes sir!"

* * *

They set up camp a good few miles north of Southtown, taking a longer route around to avoid the villagers. Although Chrom knew he could trust them, he knew someone would sneak off to the capital in the middle of the night while they were resting and get the news out before they arrived themselves. It isn't really a proper camp, merely consisting off a few logs for seats and a fire. Lissa had fallen asleep almost as soon as she lay down, her head resting on her bag. Chrom is asleep too, but not deeply, and a crackle from the fire wakes him easily from his slumber.

Robin hasn't even thought about sleeping yet. She perches on a log, staring into the flames, not even flinching when they lick slightly too close to her boots. She rolls the log backwards calmly, coolly, and sits down again, resuming her previous position. Chrom gets up after watching her for a few minutes, and the clatter of his armour makes her turn. He smiles sheepishly, sitting beside her.

"Can't sleep?" He asks, and she nods in response. "You always were a night owl. Before, that is." She shifts beside him, almost uncomfortably.

"How long was I gone for?"

"Two years." His answer is automatic, and she casts her eyes to the ground.

"I guess that's a long time for an army to be without its tactician," she laughs, trying her best to make light of the situation. "I hope I didn't cause you any harm."

"No, no. We're at peace- none of us have fought for two years."

"So… did I disappear at the end of the last war?"

"Yes," he answers after a pause. "We were fighting a dragon. Which… which was you? But also not you. It was you from a different timeline… it was confusing at the time, so I don't know how I'm supposed to explain this to you now. You landed the final blow on the dragon, which was you, so you effectively killed yourself."

"That does sound confusing. I wish I could remember this stuff. It would make my life a whole lot easier."

He makes some sort of noncommittal noise in response, and she returns to staring into the fire. He spends the time staring at her, taking in her features. She hasn't changed much- her hair is still messy, and she still wears the same expressions. He notices her biting her fingernails, and wants to stop her, but doesn't want to say anything to annoy her. She looks confused, and this is the time she needs to sort her brain out. Her amnesia may never go away, but if there's anything he can do to help, he'll always be right beside her. He realises, for the millionth time, that he loves this woman, even if she can't remember him at all. Suddenly, she turns to him, as if she's remembered something, and his eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

"It was you."

"What was me?"

"It was you that I was married to," she says, and his heart softens.

"You always were smart."

"I felt some sort of connection between us."

"An invisible tie," he says automatically, remembering the words she used to use so often.

"I guess that explains why you were the one that came looking for me, then."

"I think that was mostly a selfish move on my part," he admits with a sheepish laugh. "I missed you a lot, as did the rest of the country. I think you probably would've been brought to us anyway, if you woke up on your own. The country, will recognise its queen, after all," he says, and slaps a hand over his mouth, realizing what he just admitted.

"The queen?" She splutters. "Lissa wasn't joking when she said royalty… I guess that would make you the king, then?"

"Exalt, it's called," he corrects with a smile. "But yes. Prominent figures was spot on."

"Gods… is there anything else I should know before returning to the palace?" She asks, a slightly horrified expression on her face.

"… We have a child. Her name is Lucina. She's nearly four," he fills in, and her facial expression changes from shock to love in a matter of seconds.

"Oh. That's nice. I can't wait to meet her."

"She's lovely. She… she really takes after you, to be honest."

"Chrom… I… I won't be expected to retake my position, as… as your wife, will I? I just…"

"No, no! Not if you don't want to."

"It's not that! I just… don't want to… you know… well, I don't remember you at all, so I don't want to be expected to perform 'royal duties'," she says, making quotation marks in the air with her fingers. She's blushing, and now he is too, but he shakes his head.

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen. I care more about you being happy and well looked after than I do about us being together. And if that means you want to leave the palace, then I'll support you in that, too."

"Thank you. I'd like to see if I can get my memories back. I feel like that would make everything a lot easier for everyone, myself included. So I'm not going to abandon you just yet," she jokes, and he smiles, finally perfectly relaxed in her presence.

"I think that would be good."

"I'm going to head to sleep, now. It's late, and you should too."

"I will. I'm glad we could have this conversation."

"Me too," she smiles. "It was enlightening. Good night, Chrom."

"Good night, Robin," he says softly, before disappearing to the spot where he lay before. He half wants to tell her to sleep beside him, but she disappears off to the other end of the field, and he can hear a muffled scream before silence. He's not sure if he did the right thing in telling her _everything_ , but a huge weight has definitely been lifted off his chest in doing so.

* * *

The trio sneaks in the back way of the palace, Robin's hood up, Chrom wrapping his cloak over his head, and Lissa walking normal, because it wasn't unusual for Lissa to be entering the palace with strangers. The sun is almost up, barely waking from its nightly slumber. It stretches into the sky, casting a sleepy orange glow over the town. As soon as Chrom's foot hits the tiled hallway into the kitchen, everyone is there, and their faces match what Chrom feels.

"Well well. You did it! I'm surprised," Maribelle says, standing on her tiptoes to pat Chrom on the shoulder.

"Welcome back, Bubbles," Gaius directs to Robin, who nods blankly.

"Lissa, maybe you should take Robin upstairs. She's probably tired," Chrom commands, and Lissa grabs her arm.

"Your room?"

"For now," Chrom reassures, upon seeing the look on Robin's face.

Lissa drags Robin off, up the staircase to the left, and Chrom pushes through to the main entrance, the other shepherds following him. Lucina and Owain stand there, Ricken standing over them, trying to pull them apart from a fight. Lucina catches a glimpse of her father out of the corner of her eye, and drops the toy she and Owain were fighting over, and runs towards him.

"Daddy! Did you have fun on your trip?" She asks earnestly, and he drops down to be at the same height as her.

"I did. I brought back someone who I want you to meet, but you'll have to wait a minute until they are ready to see you, okay? Sumia, can you take Lucina and get her cleaned up?"

"Of course, Captain," the Pegasus knight says with a nod, and Lucina reluctantly lets go of her father and follows the woman away. Chrom stands up again, and addresses the rest of the shepherds with a sad look in his eyes.

"As you know, we managed to get Robin back. However, she has a severe case of amnesia, which I suppose we should've expected in hindsight. We'll try everything we can to regain her memories, and that's where I'd like your help, Miriel."

"I'll do my best," she responds, lazily pushing her glasses up.

"Is she alright, though?" Maribelle asks, a hint of worry edging into her tone.

"Physically, she's okay. She was hungry, but apart from that she seems fine. I'll get Lissa to do a full examination of her soon."

"Tell her we're glad to have her back," Gaius repeats, and Chrom nods.

"Will do. I'm going to bring Lucina up to her now, and I expect if you want she won't mind some of you visiting her later."

Chrom turns to leave before anyone can say anything else, heading off in the direction Sumia took Lucina. He can hear his daughter before he can see her, and follows her voice into a small room, where Sumia is standing, Lucina wriggling impatiently in her arms.

"I hope I did a good enough job. I don't have much experience with children, unfortunately!"

"You did fine," he says, taking his daughter from the knight. "Thank you so much."

"Congratulations, by the way," she offers.

"Thank you." His voice drops a few tones, and he glances to Lucina as he speaks. "She has amnesia again."

"That's awful!" Sumia exclaims, throwing a hand over her mouth dramatically. "Will she be okay?"

"I don't know. We better hope so."

"Good luck, captain. I feel like you're going to need it."

* * *

Chrom pauses outside his bedroom door, Lucina's tiny hand clenched around his own. He kneels down in front of her, and places a hand on her shoulder.

"The person I would like you to meet… is your mother."

"Mummy?" She asks, and her eyes widen. "She's here? But… Aunt Lissa told me she was dead!"

"She wasn't," Chrom confirms. "Now, she might not remember you, but I want you to be your best behaviour for her, okay?"

"Yes!"

Chrom stands, and knocks on the door politely. Lissa's voice calls to enter, and he pushes to door open, still holding Lucina's hand. Robin sits on the bed; on _her_ side of the bed, while Lissa hovers on the other side. Robin's coat lies discarded on the end of the bed, and she looks up when he enters the room. Lucina can barely contain herself, and throws herself at Robin, whose maternal instincts kick in, and she catches her, wrapping her arms around the child to keep her safe.

"You must be Lucina, right?" She asks, and the girl nods, sad even though Chrom warned her about this.

"And you're my mummy!"

"I guess I am," she laughs. "You really look like your father, though."

"He says I look like you."

"Well, he's wrong."

"You're really pretty," Lucina says.

"And so are you."

"I missed you, even though I didn't know you. Aunt Lissa says you were dead!"

"I don't think I was dead," she confirms.

"Lucina, get off her knee. It's rude to do that," Chrom points out, and Robin laughs, setting the child on the ground. "It was lovely to meet you, Lucina."

"Can I go and play again, daddy?" She asks, traversing the room back towards Chrom.

"Of course. Off you go." She shyly waves goodbye to Robin, before disappearing out the door. "She has a short attention span," Chrom explains apologetically.

"Just like her father," Lissa mumbles, and Robin can't help but laugh.

"I've asked a friend to help you get your memories back. I don't know what she'll be able to do, but hopefully it'll work," Chrom fills in, ignoring Lissa's comment. "We'll start tomorrow. For now, I'll find you another room, and you should rest."

"It's early," Robin points out.

"If you're okay to start now, then I'll go get her."

"I'd like that," she says, nodding almost aggressively.

* * *

Miriel enters the room, following Chrom. She scans Robin once, twice, and then glares at her, trying to see if she can figure out what's wrong just from looking.

"Well, I've never dealt with amnesia before, so I'll just try some methods out and see what happens," she says off handedly, lifting her glasses off her face and setting them down again. "I promise these will be safe."

"Are you sure you're okay to go along with this, Robin?" Chrom asks, hovering nervously at the side of the bed.

"I'm sure. I'll do pretty much anything to get my memories back."

"Good. Lie down then," Miriel commands, and Robin complies, resting her head on the pillow, hands crossed on her stomach, just like they found her in the field.

Miriel lifts a book from the foot of the bed, one that she set there when she entered earlier. She flicks through the pages, and lands on one with a memory spell. She read the page quickly, scanning the words and not reading properly.

"This says it's to enhance your memory, so we'll-"

A sharp knock on the door interrupts her mid sentence, and Miriel sets the book down with a sigh, tutting under her breath. She opens the door, and Tharja sashays in, waltzing past the elder mage.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Miriel demands, but Tharja ignores her with a swish of her cloak.

"Good morning, my lord… my lady," she drawls, pausing to look deeply at Robin, who has moved her head up to see what the commotion is about.

"What are you doing here, Tharja?" Chrom asks. "You shouldn't be here when Miriel is working."

"I know, I know, Miriel is the head of the medical corps, and poor little Tharja doesn't have a healing bone in her body. But what if I told you that I'll be able to help her more than Miriel ever could. That nice healing spell will never regain twenty odd years of memories, but…"

"Very well. Let's see what you've made," Miriel agrees, stepping back from the end of the bed.

"Oh no, I didn't invent this. Your wife did," she informs, addressing Chrom this time.

"She invented a spell?"

"She was experimenting on herself, trying to get her memories back, towards the end of the war. All she wanted was some information to help us win the war."

"How do you know about this?" Robin asks, sitting up straight.

"We used to be very close. As a dark mage, you came to me for help with learning about dark magic," Tharja explains, turning her back and sauntering towards the bookcase, where she runs her hands over the books before lifting a specific one from the shelf. "You told me where the book was in case I never needed it. And I think this is the perfect time to try it out."

"I don't want you experimenting on her!" Chrom pushes in, throwing an arm between Tharja and Robin.

"It works, though. She remembered almost ten years of her life previous to joining the shepherds. She didn't tell you, because she knew that it would upset you. There was a lot of unpleasant stuff in there. Now, are you going to let me try this?"

"Fine," he agrees, retracting back into his position previously.

"I have to check that you're okay with this, Robin. Are you?"

"Yes."

"Well then, lie down, and we'll begin."

Robin puts her head on the pillow, and Tharja opens the book. Immediately, it begins to light up, a dark and eerie light that surrounds Tharja's hands and immediately sends Robin to sleep, her eyes shutting tight.

"Wow, I haven't even done anything yet," she smirks, and uses one painted fingernail to follow the words on the page. She speaks incoherently, a combination of muttering and another language. Some words are shouted, and Chrom involuntarily edges towards the door.

"What's she doing?" Chrom asks, Miriel appearing beside him.

"It seems to be some sort of Plegian counter curse. Perhaps her amnesia is a form of curse, and that's why she managed to develop this. I wouldn't put it past Validar to curse her."

"But he was dead before the fight with Grima," Chrom points out.

"He was a powerful sorcerer. It's not beyond possibility that he added a memory-sealing curse onto Grima's so that Robin would suffer when she killed Grima. He knew Robin better than any of us did, unfortunately, and knew that she would choose to sacrifice herself, but was determined enough to come back. So he prevented her ever living a happy life again. It's pretty sick, but also very Gangrel, if you think about it."

At this point, Robin's whole body was enveloped in the dark light, and Tharja had ceased muttering. Her hands were high in the air, slowly pressing down the darkness towards Robin's body. Suddenly, it was all sucked inside her, and the white haired woman coughed violently, sitting upright. Chrom rushed to her side, placing one hand cautiously on her back.

"Are you okay?" He asks calmly, and she looks at him with a look of confusion on her face.

"Chrom?"

"Yes, Robin, it's me."

"And Miriel is here, and Tharja… what are you all doing? Where are we? I thought we were fighting Grima? Did we win?" She asks, tearing her hair down from her ponytail and putting it back up again.

"Yes. That… Robin, that was two years ago. You've been missing since then."

"I think we'll give them some space," Miriel offers, dragging Tharja kicking and screaming from the room.

"So… we won?"

"You landed the last blow, even though you told we you wouldn't. You sacrificed yourself for us and for the country, and killed Grima."

"So… how am I here? I should be dead!"

"I guess it's those invisible ties," Chrom jokes, using her favourite phrase.

Suddenly, she leans over towards him, and plants a kiss on his mouth, her hand resting on the side of his face to bring him closer towards him. He can't move for the shock of the action, and ends up breaking the kiss abruptly.

"I'm sorry. I must've caused you so much pain," she says, and he can see tears welling up in her eyes.

"But you're here now, and that makes everything so much better." He embraces her, quickly, resting his chin on top of her head. She wraps her own arms around him, and he swears he can feel her smile against his chest. She's warm, and her breathing is steady, and she's _here_ , and that's all that matters to him.

"Come on. There's someone I'd like you to meet."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> although everything seems alright now, I can promise a lot more angst to come in the future c:


	4. Resentment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the author almost writes smut and disappoints all her fans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> implying i have fans lmao
> 
> anyway three different plot points are set up in this chapter :3 if anyone manages to get all three I will be impressed! one is obvious, one kinda obvious and the other one not so much.

The castle is strangely silent on the morning after Robin comes back. Chrom exempts her from the council meeting for the morning, and leaves the breakfast room in notably high spirits. Robin takes herself to the bathing room, and runs a bath, hot and steamy, and sits there for hours, until the water has lost any relaxing traits. It's cold now, and the bubbles she poured in earlier have all but disappeared.

The night before was a strange experience for her. Dinner was held in the grand hall instead of the room the usually dined in, and most of the shepherds were present. Chrom made a speech, which really shouldn't have surprised her. She was still all out of sorts, and her processing times for everything seemed to take a lot longer than she remembered. She supposed that not eating for two years didn't help. It was hard to concentrate on anything for longer than five minutes, but Chrom was a patient man, and slowly helped her come to terms with all that had happened.

They stayed awake until the wee hours of the morning, with his arms wrapped around her and her head resting on his chest. He whispered stories of the intervening two years into her hair, and they lay, still, together, until eventually they fell asleep. This is the sort of Chrom that Robin remembered, and it is almost overwhelming to see him like this- so calm, and relaxed, and not the way she remembered during the war. The brief period of peace they had since they had in the period between the first war with Plegia and the war against Valm and subsequently, Grima was the time when most of her memories with Chrom were formed. To be in a time of peace again is both a blessing and a curse- there isn't the worry of either of them dying at the hands of an enemy soldier at any given moment, but Robin is getting antsy.

She hasn't even realised how long she'd spent in the bath until a loud hammering came from outside on the door. She curls her knees up to her chest, not wanting to get out of the bath. She is too tired, to worn, to consider moving, and she wants nothing to do with the person outside the room. She could tell it isn't Chrom- the knocking is far too light. However, it is persistent, and after a while the person starts knocking harder.

"Robin?" A meek voice calls, and Robin closes her eyes. It was Lissa- of course it was Lissa. The council meeting has probably ended, and Chrom probably wants to see her. He is too polite to come looking for her himself, and has sent Lissa, another woman, to fetch her.

"Robin, you've been in there for three hours. Are you okay?"

No response.

"Robin, I'm worried. Can you hear me?"

Again, no response.

"I'm coming in!" Lissa calls, a sense of finality about her voice. She's clearly still scared, however, and as the door swings open, she gasps lightly. "Robin, you look freezing!" She shuts the door again quickly, retreating back outside. Robin can faintly make out the sound of her rustling in the towel cupboard outside, and then the light footsteps of the boots her sister in law always wears coming back into the room.

Without any care for the woman's condition, the cleric grabs her by the arm, dragging her out of the bath. She's stronger than she looks, and since Robin is almost deathly thin, she has no problem lifting her onto the cold stone ground. Lissa wraps a toweling robe around Robin, tying it at the front. She snatches furtive glances at the tactician's face as she rubs her hair dry, placing the towel over her head. She drags a seat over, and pushes her down onto it, grabbing a brush from the shelf.

"You know, it wasn't just Chrom that was worried about you," Lissa admits quietly, running the brush through Robin's white locks. "Although I wasn't even sure if you were still alive, I missed you like hell. Even before you and Chrom were married, you were like a big sister to me. You were… are, even, like Emmeryn. You're kind, and you care about everyone more than you care about yourself. I guess that's why Chrom likes you," she smiles, sadly.

Robin still doesn't respond, staring numbly at the wall in front of her. Lissa words are going in, causing tears to well up in the corners of her eyes. It's so hard to respond, however. She doesn't know where to begin. There are a multitude of words that she has to say, and none of them are fitting. So she lets the tears fall over her face, dripping down onto clenched hands on her lap. She grips at the belt of the robe, and Lissa notices the crying, dashing round in front of Robin.

"Hey," she says, her voice soft and motherly. "It's okay. You'll be okay." She wipes the tears from Robin's cheek, albeit ineffectively, since they are flowing thick and fast. Robin holds her hands up to her face, furiously trying to stem the flow.

"I'm sorry," she sobs, her voice broken and shaky.

"You're okay," Lissa reminds, and wraps her arms gently around the older woman. "Cry. I know you won't do this in front of my brother, but you can in front of me. I won't tell him."

And she does. The tears don't stop falling from Robin's eyes for at least twenty minutes, her body wracked with sobs. Lissa's own eyes fill with tears after a while, and she can't tell whether they're of happiness for Robin being back, or if they're purely empathetic. But either way, she cries too, and she knows that at least she feels better after a while.

"I'm sorry," Robin whispers again, wiping the last of the tears away with an almost laugh. "I don't really know what came over me."

"I understand," Lissa nods. "It's good to… just let it out, right?"

"Is there any reason why you came to find me in the first place?" Robin asks, moving away from the younger girl to locate the smallclothes she stripped off earlier.

"Chrom wants to see you. He was in the garden the last time I saw him. They were organizing a big celebration party the in the council meeting this morning. It's supposedly taking place at the weekend."

"That's the last thing I want," Robin mutters, pulling her top over her head. Lissa snorts at her comment, running a hand nervously through one pigtail.

"That's what I said! But they voted majority in favour, so… my vote didn't matter. But I was on your side, if that makes you feel any better. Olivia and Lon'qu were too, and Gaius. But everyone else thought it was a wonderful idea."

"Nice to know that my husband doesn't know me as well as some of my friends do," Robin says, almost bitterly, before slapping a hand over her mouth. "Sorry. That was rude."

"No, it's fine. Sometimes, I feel like Owain knows me better than Chrom does, and he's not even two yet. That's just Chrom for you, huh?"

* * *

Once fully dressed, her hair sufficiently dried and her cloak hanging neatly on the hook in her bedroom, Robin makes her way through the familiar palace corridors and into the garden. They don't usually sit out there- the courtyard, with its small grassy area- was much easier to watch the children in. But since everything was a celebration since yesterday, Chrom has taken Lucina outside there. It isn't hard for Robin to find them- two spots of blue in a sea of green grass. She makes her way across the lawn towards them, and Lucina quickly spots her mother, throwing herself towards her.

"Good afternoon," Robin greets fondly, hoisting the child onto her hip. She is getting almost too big to do that with, but Robin doesn't complain, bearing the weight as she walks towards her husband. She notices Owain running around among the rose bushes, followed by a tiny Inigo, who can barely keep up. She sets Lucina down after a kiss on the cheek, and the young princess runs after her cousin.

"Are you feeling okay?" Chrom asks, absentmindedly taking one of her hands in his own.

"I'm fine," Robin confirms, a small smile passing across her face.

"I'm glad," he says, directing her towards a metal bench. They sit, and Robin leans forward, watching the children with a fond smile on her face.

"She's grown up so much. And to think, neither Owain or Inigo were born before I disappeared."

"I hope I did a good job of parenting," Chrom jokes. "Although, I did have a nanny to help me."

"I'm sure you did a great job," she smiles again, scooting closer to him. He wraps an arm around her fondly, before clearing his throat.

"We, uh… we planned a celebration for you. Saturday night. A banquet, and a ball. I hope that's okay- I should've asked you first."

"Lissa told me," Robin grimaces. "It's not what I want at all, but I suppose I'll have to attend."

"I can cancel-"

"No, it's fine. I heard some of the things Maribelle is ordering in, and I wouldn't want all that food to go to waste," she laughs.

"You'll have to get a new dress," Chrom comments, coughing slightly at the end of the sentence.

"I assumed you'd say that. I'll get one Lissa or Olivia to come with me, maybe. I only have my wedding dress, and I don't think that's really appropriate."

"You could wear it if you wanted," Chrom suggests, but she shakes her head.

A comfortable silence falls between the two, fingers still interlocked, and his arm thrown carelessly over her shoulders. Despite there being two years of stuff to catch up on, Robin finds herself not wanting to do so, rather instead wishing to enjoy what is happening now. Although she feels bad for missing so much of Lucina's life- two years is a long time in the eyes of a child, half the girl's life- she watches her with the same eyes that she looked upon the baby when she was first born. Her love for the girl hasn't changed at all, and likely won't until the day she dies.

"Chrom," Robin says suddenly, turning sharply to face her husband.

"What is it?" He says, reflexively gripping her hand tighter.

"You told me that Lucina went to live with Inigo in Rosanne," she comments, lowering her voice so the younger version of their child wouldn't hear. "But… what happened to Morgan?"

"I hoped you wouldn't ask that," Chrom sighs deeply. "I didn't want to keep it from you, but I also knew that telling you would also upset you."

"Chrom…"

"He left. Right after the war, he left. I'm not even sure if he made it Ylisstol with us, but Lucina says that he said to her that it was best if he left. I'm sure he was grieving just like the rest of us," he says, lowering his eyes to his knees.

"It's okay," she replies. "It's not your fault. Morgan was old enough to make his own decisions, and if that was the decision he made, then I suppose I'm okay with it. Of course, I would like to see him again, but there's not much we can do about that."

"You don't… blame me?"

"What could you have done?" She sighs. "Morgan was independent. Maybe we'll see him again in the future."

"I'm sorry from keeping it from you."

" _Chrom_ ," she chastises. "It's not your fault."

* * *

Robin struggles into her dress less than five minutes before the banquet begins, and Lissa places her crown atop her head and wraps her cape around her shoulders. It's all for show- once speeches have been made, they'll be able to take the extra garb off. The crown is heavy, and the clips stick into her scalp, although it looks amazing. She only got to wear it once before- on her wedding day, which also acted as a coronation. Chrom's proper coronation came before then, and she watched from the allocated family seats as his crown was set gingerly on his cobalt hair.

She thinks, not for the first time, that Chrom is much more suited to the royal job than she is. Of course, as a born royal, he was practically trained for the job, but he was never expected to take over, as the middle child. But unlike her, he is driven by his heart, and would do everything to help his people more than make the right economic or political choice. She is level headed, practical, and she supposes that's what makes them such a good pair. Also, who ever would let an amnesiac run a country?

Chrom, apparently.

"Are you ready? You were supposed to be there five minutes ago," Lissa reminds, fixing the strap of her dress. Parties weren't her thing either, much less fancy banquets like this one.

"As ready as I'll ever be," Robin sighs in response, and Lissa places a hand on her shoulder.

"I'll go ahead. I'm sure Chrom's waiting for you," she smiles, scampering out the door.

Even though Robin knew the girl had grown up a lot in the years since the war, nothing could shake the image of the sixteen-year-old girl who woke her in a field and healed her wounds whenever she was injured. Lissa would, in her mind, always be that young girl, and no matter how much she changed, Robin would always think that of her. With a smile finally on her face, Robin walks out of the chamber and down the cold stone corridors.

She can hear the chattering of the Great Hall before she rounds the corner, and the guards jump into a salute with a clatter of armour. She smiles, shaking her hands at them, and they move, back at ease. She turns the corner, her heels clattering on concrete. Chrom smiles at her from the opposite side of the door, nodding calmly at her. Libra smiles too, warmly, and walks into the room, heralding the arrival of the royals. Peeking through the door, Robin spots Lissa and Ricken, seated on Chrom's side of the table, and Tharja has somehow nabbed herself and Libra the seats on hers. The Dark Mage is the closest thing she has to family besides Chrom and Lucina- the only reminder of home and a time before the Shepherds.

"Exalt Chrom and Lady Robin," Libra announces as he reaches the top of the room, and Chrom takes that as his cue. He links one arm with Robin's, and they walk in, robes dusting the floor as they make their way through the long benches. Robin is surprised to hear the cheers, specifically of her name, and can't help a smile appearing on her face.

The royal couple separates at the top, making their way to their designated seats. They head the top table, looking over the room. Chrom lifts an already filled glass, and Robin grips onto the table, her once genuine smile quickly becoming forced. Tharja jabs one nail into Robin's wrist, forcing her to smile larger in an attempt not to show the pain she was in.

"It has been a trying two years," Chrom begins. "For myself, for Lucina, and for the other shepherds. But also for the population of Ylisse. To be without such a beloved woman for such a long time is hard for a country. A woman who is not only the tactician of the army, but also my right hand woman and best friend. So I propose a toast, to Robin!"

"To Robin!" The hall echoes, and Chrom sits down, prompting Robin herself to step forward. Speeches aren't her strong point. She could write them, but delivering one was a whole other story. So, like her husband, she decides to keep it short. She takes a deep breath in, and then Tharja stands up, grabbing her arm and shoving her back into her seat. The mage lifts a carefully stored tome from under the table, and flicks through it, before firing a Bolganone spell at the rafters. Vaike stands up from the bench he's seated at, lifting a concealed bow and firing an arrow on the opposite side.

"Clear the room!" Chrom commands, unsheathing Falchion in one swift movement. Robin sits stock still, overcome with shock, while guests scatter, directed by guards into the garden outside and the ballroom directly opposite. Two bodies fall from the ceiling where Vaike and Tharja attacked, landing with dull thuds on the ground.

"Robin you have to get out of here," Tharja commands, her well trained eyes scanning the room. "Chrom, you too. Your safety is paramount." She sashays in front of the couple, tome book still open in one hand.

"What is going on?" Robin demands, finally standing. She's defenceless, with no tome or sword at her disposal. "I can fight too, if needs be!"

"Lissa, you should leave too. We have this under control!" Maribelle calls, striding towards the table. Clearly, the shepherds had been placed around the room in such a way that if an event like this happened, they would be well equipped to deal with it.

"No way!" Lissa says, stomping her foot against the wooden floor.

"Is that all of them?" Chrom asks loudly over the bickering, as a soldier reenters the hall.

"We've swept the castle sir, and we can't find anyone else," he confirms with a nod. "We'll call in the others who are off duty to guard the hall while we continue our search."

"Thank you. Invite everyone else back in please."

"Right away, sir."

* * *

The party swiftly moves to the ballroom, with appetites largely spoiled over the incident earlier in the evening. Floating trays of bite size food move around the room, and waiters serve drinks, appearing out of nowhere to hand out and collect glasses. The royal couple stands at the head of the room, Chrom's hand carefully wrapped around Robin's. It's a protective stance, and even now, once they've shed their royal robes, Falchion is still hung around his waist.

"Are you okay?" He mutters into her hair, and she nods in response.

"I'm more offended that Tharja told us to get out, to be honest," she laughs. "Besides, I don't feel like they were trying to assassinate me. It was probably you they were after."

"I wouldn't be so sure," he says, a worried smile appearing on his face. "You're a target too- royal, _queen_ , tactician, the list is endless."

"I don't think my life is _that_ valuable, but I appreciate your concern," she smirks.

"By the way, you look wonderful in that dress," he says, not looking at her but raising his eyebrows suggestively. "If I had my way-" She almost spits out her champagne, and sets the glass down with a snort.

"Well you don't." An older couple is approaching them- dignitaries that she recognises from Maribelle's kingdom. The two separate, but Robin leans over to whisper in his ear. "At least not yet." His neck flushes red, and she laughs as the other man spins her away in time with the music.

* * *

The party lasts until the early hours of the morning, and with one (or two…. Or three) too many glasses of champagne in their systems, both Chrom and Robin stagger to their bedchamber, giggling like two teenagers. The guards usually positioned outside the room have the sense to avoid it for the evening, and luckily so, as before they even reach their destination, Chrom has Robin pinned against a pillar, hungrily kissing her, one hand on her waist and the other on the wall.

"Does this count as having my way?" He asks, moving his mouth down to her neck to plant open mouthed kisses along to her collarbone.

"I would guess so," she laughs, the sound as clear as ever. One of her hands is tangled in his hair, and one leg wraps around him, almost as if they're still dancing. "I expected you to be able to contain yourself, though. Really, you could've waited a few metres, but out here?"

"I don't care," he says, dragging one hand along her thigh. "I just want you. Now."

"Well _I_ care," she smirks, and in a quick shift of power, she spins him around, pushing him into the pillar instead. His look of shock is almost adorable, and she lets him go, strutting away the few extra steps to their bedroom. "You can come with me if you want, or… you can just stay there all night."

"I wouldn't want to leave you on your own," he says, eagerly following her through the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please go read part six of this series (disowned by time) before continuing with this one! It'll be relevant! And maybe read Morgan's wiki page too c:


	5. Surprises

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the shepherds receive news and Chrom finds out a secret Robin's been keeping.

Sunlight streams in through a crack in the curtains, falling angelically on Chrom and Robin's bed. The one facing the light, Robin cracks an eye open, wincing at the brightness. She shifts under the covers, moving them to cover more of her frame. Her husband is still asleep, a face usually marred by troubles now peaceful. She watches him for a while, until he too begins to stir, lazily opening his eyes.

"Good morning," he hums, pressing a kiss to her lips. She smiles, drawing back slowly.

"Good morning to you, too," she replies. "You slept late, but I don't think anyone will mind today."

"It's a Sunday. No war council, no general council, no requests from the townspeople… I'm all yours."

"Good," she whispers. "You can go check on Lucina, then. I'm sure she's devastated that she's all on her own for so long."

"Gods," Chrom laughs, sitting upright with a sigh. "I thought we would get some more alone time, but clearly not."

"You had plenty of 'alone time' last night," Robin chastises, rolling her eyes with a smirk. "And besides, Lucina is your daughter. She deserves equal attention to me."

"I'm going, I'm going. You better come too," he says, moving round to her side of the bed to collect his discarded clothes. She rolls onto her other side, smiling sleepily at him until he leaves for the bathroom. Her clothes are also discarded on the floor, and she hastily picks them up, tossing them in a neat pile beside the bed. She raids the drawers for clean smallclothes, and puts them on, followed by a vest akin to her usual one, and a long skirt. Skirts aren't usually her thing, but she deals with it for now, swishing about the room to tidy up a bit more.

She makes the bed, flattening out the covers and plumping up the pillows. She folds Chrom's cape, and hangs Falchion back on the wall, although she's sure he'll take it down again when he gets back after yesterday's events. She runs a brush through her hair, and powders her face. Unlike some of the other women of court, she doesn't really use make up, but finds that sometimes it makes her look less tired (it did wonders during the war).

Chrom returns, mostly ready for the day, and grabs Robin by the waist to plant another kiss on her lips. This time, she relents, placing her hands on his chest and tilting her head to the side. He moves away first, leaving her with her eyes still closed and mouth slightly puckered. He always admires her, especially now, when she looks so relaxed and at ease. It's unusual- the tactician always seems to be stressed about one thing or another.

"Let's go," he suggests, taking her hand and moving down the corridor to Lucina's room.

To their surprise, she's fully dressed, in a light blue sundress that compliments her eyes. She drops her dolls as soon as her parents enter the room, grabbing onto her father's legs. Robin's chest pangs at this. Lucina has been so used to only her father being around, and doesn't automatically go to her. She feels regret, but knows that really, there's nothing she could've done either way.

"Good morning, Lucina," she offers, kneeling down to be level with the young girl. It's still hard to believe that this is her child, her own flesh and blood- she's not that old herself. For a woman in her mid twenties, Robin thinks, looking upon her family, that all in all, she's done pretty well.

* * *

The news arrives from Ferox a few weeks later that shakes the shepherds. Truthfully, they should've seen it coming, but in reality, it was unexpected. A messenger brings the letter directly to the palace, and Chrom opens it over his breakfast, his jaw dropping involuntarily.

"What is it, dear?" Robin asks, noting his change in expression. His eyebrows furrow, and he folds the letter.

"Basilio is stepping down as West Kahn," he informs her, and Lissa and Ricken look on, confused.

"Can he do that?" Robin asks.

"Since he's not the overall ruling Kahn, yes. They will need to find a replacement for him soon, however."

"I'm sure they'll be able to find someone. Ferox is a country of warriors," Robin points out. "And besides, doesn't the Kahn usually have Champions? Can't one of them take over?"

"Basilio sent us his best champion," Lissa reminds quietly. "He's sitting in his house in the town right now, with his wife and child."

The breakfast table is silent, aside from Lucina and Owain's eating, blissfully unaware of what is at stake. They all realise the gravity of the situation- there is a good chance that Lon'qu will leave to go back to Ferox, his home country, and take Olivia and Inigo with him. No one wants that, especially considering how valuable a swordsmaster Lon'qu is.

"Put it this way, _if_ he decides to take the job, our alliance with Ferox will be as strong as ever. But it's not something that we're going to bring up in his presence, okay? We don't want to seem like we're pressuring him into leaving. In fact, that's the last thing we want."

"What's the last thing you want?" A female voice says, and Chrom almost jumps out of his skin, turning round to see Tharja leaning against the door. "Well? It sounded pretty serious, captain."

"Nothing of your concern, Tharja. A family matter," he bluffs, but the Plegian isn't stupid.

"You were talking about Basilio, right?"

"How did you hear about that?" He asks defensively. He never truly trusted the woman, despite his good heart, and seems to be constantly on edge around her.

"I have connections," she laughs. "A Feroxian dancer and I are good friends. Anyway, I came to collect Lissa. Miriel says she has a medical examination today."

"I forgot about that!" Lissa says, grabbing the last piece of toast from the stack and earning a glare from Chrom, who was clearly intending to take it. "I'll see you later!"

"If Olivia knows, that must mean that Basilio has told Lon'qu. And maybe he asked him to take his position," Chrom speculates.

"Or maybe because he sees Olivia like a daughter, she was told early on? I think you're reading too much into this, Chrom," Robin offers, taking a sip of her coffee.

* * *

Chrom expertly manages to avoid the topic of Basilio's resignation in the council meeting later that day. Both Lon'qu and Olivia look uncomfortable throughout, and he can feel Lissa's furtive stares in his direction, willing him to bring it up. At one point, Robin kicks him under the table, causing him to mutter curses under his breath.

"Did you have something to say about that, captain?" Maribelle asks worriedly, and he shakes his head.

"No, carry on." He gets a few odd stares, but Maribelle clears her throat and continues on with her speech. This time, Chrom is actually listening, and realises that for once, their work is important.

"We've upped security around the palace," she states, "as I'm sure you all saw this morning. I'm going to get them to put our names on some kind of list, because I don't want to listen to their ranting about not being sure of my identity." She rolls her eyes, sighing disgustedly.

"Maybe you should lessen security, then," Lon'qu suggests.

"Absolutely not. The royal family's safety is my priority," Maribelle says defiantly.

"She sounds like Frederick," Lissa adds in a stage whisper.

"I am nowhere near as protective as that buffoon, Lissa, dear. Although he did a wonderful job, may his soul rest in peace."

"Yeah, no one was assassinated under his watch," Gaius jokes, his facial expression changing to one of fear when he glances at his wife.

"And no one has been assassinated under my watch, either! And if they were," she turns to Chrom, "which they won't be," she turns back to Gaius, "it wouldn't be my fault!"

"We don't blame you in the slightest for what happened, Maribelle," Robin reassures. "What I do want to know, however, is how they got in, and who they were. I'd like that made a priority, so we know who we're fighting against."

"We know how they got in," Kellam says suddenly, and everyone turns to face him.

"Well, why didn't you say that sooner?" Maribelle asks, slamming her papers on the table and sitting down with folded arms.

"I've been trying to, but none of you ever listen to me."

"That's a fair point," Lissa says.

"Anyway, they got in through the back, where the magnolia tree is," he continues.

"I thought we had that fixed after the last time?" Chrom says.

"Apparently not well enough. There must be something structurally wrong… I'll get someone to look at it," Sumia says helpfully.

"Thank you. Is there anything else? Do we have any other information on the attackers?"

"Miriel and the military police have been working on identifying both bodies for a few days now, but they haven't got anywhere. I hope we'll come up with an answer soon, and I swear it on my duty as… well, whatever I am," Maribelle states.

"You did kinda just make yourself head of security," Lissa laughs.

"Well, would any of the rest of them be willing to do it?" Maribelle asks, looking round the room for moral support. A few people shake their heads. "See?"

"Well, is that us for today?" Chrom asks, and Lissa sends him another pointed look. Olivia opens her mouth to speak, but upon feeling the glare her husband is giving her, she backs down. Chrom notes this with a furrowed brow, but chooses not to comment. "Council dismissed, then. Maribelle, I'd like a word before you go."

"No problem."

Slowly, the shepherds disperse, including Robin and Gaius, who take over parenting duty, collecting their children from the nannies that look after them while their parents are at the council. Lissa stays by Chrom's side, wanting to hear what was so important to say to Maribelle.

"How is your father doing?" He asks quietly after the door shuts behind Sumia.

"He's recovering," Maribelle says truthfully, her face showing little facet of emotion. "It was a scare, to say the least, but I'm sure he'll pull through."

"And if he doesn't?" Chrom asks, not wanting to pry too far into her personal life.

"If you're asking if I'm going back to Themis, I'm not. I'm not the only child in my family, although my siblings are a good bit younger than I. I will pass the helm to one of them. Besides, it's only a dukedom. My skills are much more valuable here."

"Good," Chrom smiles, "because I was going to offer you the position of head of security and Robin's retainer. She probably won't want you around that much, and since we were looking into getting new retainers anyway, to be safe, I feel like you would be the best suited for the job. As for head of security… well, like I said, Robin won't want you around that much. She's very… independent."

"You do realise I have a three year old child, correct?" She asks, ignoring Chrom's ramblings about Robin. "I can't afford to be running back and forwards to the palace all the time while looking after him!"

"You, Gaius and Brady would be more than welcome to live here," Chrom offers, and Maribelle raises an eyebrow. "Frederick had his own wing, and that could be arranged for you, too."

"I expect a pay rise, and help moving in," she demands, and Chrom agrees with a nod. Lissa's face lights up, and she rushes around the other side of the table to embrace her best friend. The wooden doors to the council room open suddenly, and Gaius appears, holding Brady's hand.

"Oi, twinkles, what's taking so long?"

"Your wife is about to be paid more than you," she smugly says, standing and walking towards him. "And we get to move in here."

"Nice," he whistles, and Chrom smiles. "Though if you're getting paid more than me, I'm going have to steal the crown jewels or something." At the horrified look on Chrom's face, he laughs, shaking his head. "Joking, blue. I wouldn't do that. Consider it a favour for all you've done.

"So what you're saying is you would do it if I weren't exalt?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Let's go Brady!" He says, spinning the child around quickly and making an escape before Maribelle or Chrom can chastise him.

"I apologise. Well, thank you very much, captain. I'll see you tomorrow," Maribelle says, hastily following her husband.

* * *

Fortunately for the exalted family, the twentieth of April brought sunshine, warm temperatures, and most importantly, no rain. Princess Lucina had requested (demanded) that her fourth birthday party take place in the garden, and she would get that party whether it suited anyone else or not. The council was instructed to take the day off, mainly so those with children could attend the party. Lucina was the oldest of the children, and so didn't really have friends her own age. Her cousin was the closest thing to a friend, and the other shepherd's children made up the rest of the party.

It was quite a sight to behold- the next in line to the throne being chased around the garden by her cousin, the three year old Brady, a toddling Inigo, and Kjelle, visiting specially with her father at Chrom's request. Noire hovers by the food table, too scared to go over to the group. Eventually, Tharja pushes her into the middle of the other children forcefully, and she begins to cry before Lucina lets her join in.

"I wrote to the other Lucina," Robin says absentmindedly, sipping on pink lemonade that, once again, Lucina had requested. "To wish her a happy birthday."

"I didn't think of that," Chrom replies stupidly.

"That's why I wrote," she laughs. "I included your name, and your birthday wishes, as I'm sure you have them."

"She's as much my daughter as this Lucina," he says, gesturing at their child in this timeline. "I just hope that this Lucina doesn't have to deal with the horrors the elder did."

"She won't," Robin reassures, although her voice is shaky. "Even when she takes the throne as Exalt, nothing will be as bad as seeing your own parents die at the hands of a dragon and knowing that you're next."

"That's… one way of putting it."

"Chrom, you and I both know that we put in a hell of a lot of effort to save our Lucina in this timeline, as well as everyone else's children. After hearing about what happened before, we can't let the same thing happen again. And we won't."

"The other Lucina helped us a lot. If she didn't travel back in time at the exact moment she did, I'm sure Lissa would be dead, and I would've been soon after."

"Let's not dwell on that," Robin says, turning her head from her husband for a second. She's got something in her eye, and wipes furiously to get the tears welling up to go away.

"Sorry," he says in way of an apology, and wraps an arm around her shoulder, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "You're right. We've put in a lot of hard work the last six or so years, and we can't afford to stop now, for the good of the next generation."

He glances back to the children, who have stopped running. They're exhausted, and lie flat out on the ground, staring into the thankfully blue skies above them. Robin thinks back to a time when the sky wasn't like that- covered in clouds that threatened to spill over with rain and lightning that split the clouds in furious flashes. She's thankful that now, finally, they seem to be able to rest.

* * *

Lucina is put to bed by Chrom, as per her request, and for once she is asleep within minutes, the day having exhausted the princess. Chrom returns to his room, changing into his nightwear without a second thought. Only one candle remains lit; beside Robin's side of the bed. She's reading, some thick book that Chrom can only guess what it's about. Reading is her thing, especially before bed, and he frequently gets in from a long day and has to prise the book from her fingers as she's fallen asleep. Other times, he has to tell her to put the book down, it's two in the morning, go to sleep. He gets into bed, and lies down, facing her. She smiles warmly, not looking up from her book. She shifts slightly, moving the pillows keeping her upright to be more comfortable.

"Are you-"

"I'm nearly done," she responds, knowing what he's about to say.

He watches her face as she reads, illuminated on one side due to the candlelight. It casts odd shadows, elongating her features. Her eyes flicker from word to word, narrowing at some parts as if she's figured out an important plot point. Her mouth contorts into a pout, and eventually her facial features relax, and she shuts the book satisfied.

"Happy?" She asks, setting it on the bedside cabinet.

"Yes," he smiles, "but that's probably because you're here."

"We've been married for almost five years, and you're still pulling cheesy lines on me?" She laughs, turning back to face him with a smirk. His face is deadly serious, however, and her smiles slips away. "What's wrong?"

"Robin… are you happy here?"

"Of course I am! Why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know… there's a lot of things I still don't know about you."

"There's a lot of things I still don't know about myself," she admits, smiling sadly. "I do know, however, that I love you, and I love Lucina, very, _very_ much. I wouldn't trade places with anyone in the world." She places a kiss on his forehead, and then his nose, and finally his lips, her eyes fluttering closed and then open again within a matter of seconds.

"Robin," he says seriously, quietly. "There's one other thing… it's been bothering me for a while."

"What?"

"Why… why don't you ever let me see your back?" He asks, almost innocently. Her breath hitches, and her eyes close regretfully. She fixes the pillows behind her so she can lie down, but pauses before she does so.

"Because I'm ashamed of it."

"Robin…"

"I just…"

"Show me," he commands, and he sits up straight, leaning one elbow against the headboard.

"Chrom…"

"Please." His voice is soft, caring, and with the pleading look on his face, she can't help but agree to his request. Sighing softly, she turns away, slipping her top over her head. She moves her hair to the side, and his quiet gasp is the confirmation she needs.

"I knew this wasn't a good idea," she says quickly, but then his finger runs down her spine, and across the tattoo of the mark of Grima that encompasses her back.

"When did you get it?" He asks curiously.

"I was sixteen. It's one of the memories I recovered, probably because it was so strong. I was a grimleal, and they practically worshiped me because I was a potential vessel. My actual mark of Grima disappeared when I came back- see?" She holds her left hand out towards him, where the once elaborate mark lay. Now it's empty, and his eye is instead drawn to the diamond on her finger.

"Thank you for showing me," he whispers, placing a kiss on her bare shoulder.

She puts her shirt back on, and disappears under the covers. The air is tense, but both she and Chrom know that it's due to her embarrassment than anything else. He finds her hand under the blanket, and squeezes it gently.

"Good night, my love."

"Good night."

That night, for the first time ever, Robin sleeps with her back to Chrom. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm ignoring canon endings real hard because maribelle taking frederick's position is so important to me. Maribelle is so important to me let her live.


	6. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maribelle rants about tea, Lucina drops a bombshell and Robin makes a slightly unpleasant discovery.

"So, captain, we got news back from the police today. They've identified one of the bodies from the break in that night. It took a while, but…" Maribelle starts. This is clearly interesting news, as the rest of the councilors raise an eyebrow and listen more intently.

"Go on," Chrom encourages, and Robin leans forward in her chair, resting her elbows on the table.

"Well, the man that Vaike killed only had an arrow shot through his heart, so his body was intact. He was identified as one 'Harold Armer'. I don't suppose you know him?" She says, shooting a look to her husband, who glares at her before shaking his head. "Well anyway, that's all we've got. We have to wait for the body that Tharja destroyed to be identified in some way before we have more answers."

"Do they have any idea who this man is? Where he worked, where he lived, anything?" Robin asks.

"Not a thing," Maribelle confirms, shaking her head. "I'm pressuring them to keep up the search, which I'm sure they will. We'll have it figured out eventually. For now, security has been tightened. Not that it matters, since you're going away tomorrow. Where to, again?"

"Rosanne," Chrom says, and Maribelle nods.

"Lovely place."

"We're coming too!" Olivia pipes up. "I have to check on Inigo, make sure that he's behaving himself."

"We'll keep the castle and your children safe while you're gone then. Isn't that right, Gaius?" She asks, and he rolls his eyes.

"Yes, sir."

* * *

The journey to Rosanne takes the best part of a week. They take a horse and cart up to Ferox, and board a boat to the small country on the edge of the continent. The boat journey is bumpy, but they manage, ignoring the waves for the most part. Chrom and Lon'qu end up sparring for fun on the deck, and Chrom quickly admits defeat when he sees the shores of Rosanne in the distance. It's a lot greener than their home countries of Plegia, Ylisse and Ferox, and the air is a lot fresher than that in the city.

"So, how are we getting to their cottage?" Olivia asks as they depart the ship, bags in hand.

"We walk," Chrom says simply. "According to the map, their house isn't too far along outside this village, so it shouldn't take us too long to get there."

Needless to say, the walk through the village is an adventure in itself. Despite living on another continent, the citizens of Rosanne's capital seem to know who Chrom is, and make assumptions about who the rest of the party was. People stopping them along the small path make what ordinarily would've been a short walk into a big ordeal, and Chrom is getting grouchy quickly. Eventually they make it out of the town, and wander along the main road until the cottage comes into view.

"Is this it?" Lon'qu asks, only to be greeted with shrugs. Nearing the cottage, Robin decides to bite the bullet and strides ahead, knocking on the door. Candles are lit around the window at the front of the house, so she assumes that someone is home. The door opens hesitantly, and the blue haired girl on the other side of the door practically throws herself at her Robin with a huge smile on her face.

"Mother! You came! And…" Lucina looks past her to see Chrom, Lon'qu and Olivia walking up the muddy path to the front door. "Father!" She lets go of her mother and runs towards him, almost acting like the small child left back in Ylisse. "I'm so happy you made it all the way out here to see us." She regards Lon'qu and Olivia with small, nervous smiles that they manage to repay in kind. She ushers them inside the house, taking their bags and showing them into the living room where they sit awkwardly for a moment.

"Inigo!" She calls into the kitchen, and the man appears, his hair messy and a wooden spoon in his hand.

"Who were you talking to?" He asks. "I've nearly finished cooking, so…"

"Can we put out four extra bowls?" She asks, dragging him into the front room, where his parents currently sit. He stares for a moment, dumbfounded, before bursting into tears, and enveloping the two in a hug. Olivia starts crying as well- clearly where the boy got it from- while Lon'qu smiles. It's unusual for the generally stoic man to smile like this, but in recent years he's opened up, not just with his family, but with other members of the army.

"I'm sorry," Inigo says, drawing back and wiping his tears with his sleeve. "That was embarrassing. I'm so glad you're here, mother, father," he addresses. "Are all of you staying overnight? Gods, Lucina, I wish you would've told me!"

"I didn't want to ruin the surprise. Besides, they didn't say exactly when they'd get here," the princess smiles, leaning against the door frame.

"We don't have to stay if it's inconvenient, Inigo," Olivia pipes up, but he shakes his head.

"Nonsense, mother. I'll make the beds after we eat. Do you want to come through? I was just about to put the food out."

"What did you make?" Robin asks as they follow Lucina through to the dining room.

"She made stew," Inigo answers. "I was just taste testing. And she doesn't like putting it in bowls, because she's scared of spilling it."

"Inigo!" She responds furiously, face quickly turning red with embarrassment.

"I remember you mentioning stew in one of your letters," Chrom says fondly as he sits, beside Robin and opposite Lon'qu. Lucina seats herself at the end of the table, between Olivia and Robin. Inigo brings in the bowls, two at a time, until he sits down at the end, next to his father.

They eat mostly in silence, with the odd comment of how good Lucina's cooking really is. The night has truly fallen by the time they're finished, and Lucina excuses herself to light the fire in the other room. Inigo collects the empty bowls, depositing them in the sink, and the group moves back into the other room, where, filled with warm food, they can relax.

Lucina can feel how tense it is, and attempts to make small talk. It's still strange, both for her and Inigo and their parents. They shouldn't all be here together- her parents are only a few years older than her. Their baby, well, she's older now, is back in the palace, as well as the life that they now have together. That _she_ helped create. In a way she's bitter, but knows that what she and her comrades did was better than anything she could've dreamed of in her past life.

"How is the other Lucina?" She asks quietly. "And the other Inigo?"

"She's doing well," Chrom reports. "Her birthday wasn't too long ago. As you know of course," he coughs. "She's growing up a lot." He raises an eyebrow at Lon'qu, who lowers his eyebrows before replying.

"Inigo is fine."

"You never were that talkative, father. Mother, how is he?" The elder Inigo addresses, and his mother smiles softly.

"He's two now. He can walk, and he tries his best with talking, although he's not very good at his pronunciation yet. But… he tries," she gushes. "He's shy, and I… well, I just hope he grows up to be as confident as you are."

"Mother…"

"We have news," Lucina announces suddenly, her hands clenched together on her lap.

"Lucina…" Inigo warns, but she brushes him off.

"We're moving. Inigo got offered a job in another country, and we're going there so he can work. There's a war, and wherever there is war, we want to bring peace. And… it's not just us going. Owain is too, and a girl called Severa who also travelled back with us."

"Severa?" Robin asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know how things were changed in this timeline, but… well, she was Cordelia's daughter. I tried to get her to join with us many times, but she was never the biggest fan of me, so I'm not surprised. That was your fault apparently," she laughs, directing the last part at Chrom.

"Who was her father?" Chrom asks curiously.

"Stahl. But since they both died in the war, there was no way a Severa in this timeline could ever have existed. It's strange, I know."

"Wasn't Sumia with Cordelia in this timeline, though?" Olivia asks, and Robin nods in confirmation.

"Like I said, I don't know how it changed. It just… did. It must've been one of us. Otherwise, things would've gone the same way. It's my fault, I'm sorry," she finishes, dropping her head to her knees. Inigo wraps an arm around her shoulder comfortingly, and Robin reaches across the gap to place a hand gently on her knee.

"Where are you moving to?" Lon'qu asks, blunt as usual. The Chon'sin man didn't mince his words.

"I can't tell you. It's part of my contract. I'm working as a retainer for the royal family. I'll be back once the war is over, hopefully. If we can return the country to a peaceful state, we'll be able to return to this land without much of a quarrel, I assume."

"I wish you safe travels, then," Chrom says, passing his blessing to them.

"We'll be able to return here, hopefully. I've told a few people in the village, and they're going to rent the cottage out during the summer for tourists. I promised to write to them, and I'll write to you two as well. You won't be able to write back, though, I apologise," Lucina explains.

"I understand. I'm glad you've found something in life that you can look forward to, without the stress of changing the past. Now you can help mould the future of another country," Chrom says.

* * *

They don't stay long, only for a few days, enjoying the different atmosphere that Rosanne has. It's a lot quieter, more peaceful, although once Virion catches word of their arrival, he puts in an appearance, wanting to know what's been happening in Ylisse the past few months since his last visit. The party leaves on Sunday morning, when the ship returns to the continent of Ylisse. There is an awkward yet fond farewell by the door, in which they give their sentiments to their children.

"Don't get killed," Lon'qu says, placing a strong hand on Inigo's shoulder in a strange show of affection. Olivia is a bit more forward with her emotions, and hugs the poor boy tight, as if she'll never see him again.

"Make sure he doesn't hurt you," Robin says, wrapping her arms around her daughter and whispering into her ear.

"Mother, he would never."

"Do you genuinely believe he loves you?"

"Yes," Lucina says sincerely, and Robin smiles softly, letting go of the woman.

"I'm glad you're happy in this world. Don't do anything stupid."

"I don't think running a fruit stall will classify as stupid. I'm hoping they have a farmer's market over there-"

"That's not what I mean," Robin says, raising an eyebrow.

"Mother!"

"Take care, Lucina!" Chrom shouts as they reach the end of the path. There are tears clearly in her eyes, and Inigo also looks like he's on the verge of crying. The cobalt haired royal shakes his head sadly as they leave the gate, walking back down the road towards the town. "Poor kids."

* * *

"Shit," Robin curses, standing in front of the mirror.

She stands in her nightclothes, but her shirt is pulled up to above her stomach. She turns to the side to get a better view, and glares at her reflection. She doesn't feel sick, and she hasn't had any of the symptoms she had the last time. She hasn't been eating more than usual, and can't say this is just her putting on weight. In fact, since the assassination attempt, she's been training harder, and should have more muscle, not… whatever she could call this. Counting back in her head, she can pretty much pinpoint when this happened. The night of the party, a good two months ago.

Being realistic, she should've caught on before now. It was closing in on three months. Maybe she had noticed subconsciously, and she had just ignored it, wanting to pretend it wasn't true. And it wasn't really out of the question- in fact, she half expected it. Just… not _yet_. She hasn't even begun to show, but she just knows. She should probably find out for sure, just in case it isn't true. Just in case, by some miracle, she's just being paranoid (and really, she wouldn't that past herself either.)

Chrom comes into the bedroom, clean-shaven and just out of the shower. She drops the fabric to cover her stomach, and turns to face him. She moves towards him, before he can ask any questions, and kisses him fiercely. His eyes close almost immediately, and his hand goes to the small of her back, supporting her as he reciprocates her moves. Without really meaning to, she grinds against him, earning herself half a moan from him. Robin raises an eyebrow. It's still early in the morning, but his intentions are clear, and really it's her fault for starting it.

"I thought you were getting Lucina up today," she excuses.

"She can wait," he replies, his hands deftly unbuttoning her shirt.

"You have council in an hour."

"I'll be quick."

"You just took a shower."

"Do you have somewhere else to be?" He asks, his hand tangling in her hair now that her shirt is open.

"Not particularly," she smiles, placing a kiss on his neck, and then another, and then another.

"Good."

* * *

Robin never was particularly good at sneaking. That's why she helped Lon'qu to train in the Assassin class, and why she never discourages Gaius's not so savoury sidelines. So when she get's caught in Miriel's office with a pregnancy test in her hand, she doesn't have anything to say.

"Again?" The mage asks, and Robin rolls her eyes.

"It's been over four years, Miriel."

"Well at least you had the sense to come to me first."

"I didn't hope to see you here. I was gonna get this and leave, if that's okay with you."

"Well, I suppose. It's not really any of my business."

"Don't tell anyone. _Especially_ not Chrom. I'm not even sure myself, but I'll tell him when I'm ready."

"Sooner is always better than later," Miriel reminds.

"I know," Robin replies with a grimace. Chrom was so happy the last time, and she knows it'll be the same again, but she's not ready. Not by a long shot. She's still adjusting to life back here. It's only been a few months, and now… "Where's Lissa?" She asks suddenly.

"I saw her in the courtyard with Owain and Maribelle not too long ago. Why?"

"I need more tea if I'm going to get through this again. And Maribelle has good taste in tea."

"Lissa has awful taste in tea," Miriel says honestly. "And isn't Maribelle your retainer now? She'll go with you to the market willingly. You may want to take someone else with you. Security, and all that."

"I can handle myself," Robin reminds with a raised eyebrow.

"A concealed tome and the Levin sword, and whatever Maribelle uses-"

"Bolganone."

"-aren't going to be enough. I would come myself, but I'm busy here. Panne, however, may be."

"I'm not walking all the way over to the other side of town to get her to come back over this side of town to go tea shopping."

"The council meeting just got out."

"Oh! Well, I'll go find her, then, I guess. Thanks for your help, as usual, Miriel," Robin says honestly, before leaving the cramped space of Miriel's medical office.

A surprise unfortunately waits for Robin on the other side of the door. She closes it behind her, sighing in relief that Miriel wasn't going to blab to anyone.

"Robin?" A voice asks, and she almost jumps out of her skin, sticking the small box up the sleeve of her cloak.

"Oh! Chrom! Nice to see you again," she says, almost too formally,

"Are you feeling okay? Why were you in Miriel's office?"

"I've had a headache-"

"I hope that's not my fault-"

"No, it's been on and off for a few days," she excuses quickly. She has no such sort of thing, but wants to escape before he has a chance to say anything else. "I was just going to go get ready to go out. I was hoping Maribelle was free to go into town to buy tea."

"Today's her day off," Chrom says dubiously. "And yours, for that matter."

"Tea for me, to drink, because I like it. And I know she does too, so I was hoping it would help us get along better."

"Fair enough. I have a lot of work to do, so I may not be around for dinner."

"That's fine. You know where I am if you need me," she smiles, placing a chaste kiss on his lips.

"See you later."

She walks on quickly, before he can say anything else. The stairs to her room aren't too far away, and she takes them, depositing the test in her drawer. Luckily for her, Chrom didn't notice, or at least, didn't say, the box in her sleeve. She ran a brush through her hair hastily, before running back down the stairs to the courtyard. Thankfully, Maribelle was still there, and Robin wandered towards her, the blonde looking up expectantly from her book.

"Anything the matter?"

"Are you busy?" Robin asks nervously.

"Not really, no. Why?" Maribelle responds, closing her book.

"Could you come with me into town so I can buy some tea?"

"Of course!" She says, enthusiastically jumping to her feet. "I'm sorry, Lissa dear, but I'll have to cut this short."

"I understand! I know how important your tea is to you."

"Well then, Lady Robin-"

"Just Robin, please. You never used formalities before-"

"I know, because-"

"I was a commoner, I know-

"Well then, Robin, let's go procure some tea. I know chamomile is your favourite, but you simply must try this blend of rooibos and raspberry I found. It's delightful! And I found a lovely way to make Earl Grey from this one teashop across town. And another has an excellent Darjeeling. You simply must try them all!

"Thanks, Maribelle," Robin said with a smile, as the girl dragged her out of the palace.

"You know, you never ask for tea unless you're stressed about something, Robin, dear. So what is it? Spill the beans!"

"It's nothing. I'm just a bit tired lately. And I've been worried about other Lucina, I guess," Robin bluffed.

"Ah, I heard from Lissa. Her, Inigo and Owain are travelling to some country and they won't tell you where they're going? If my Brady ever did that, he'd be told he wasn't going!"

"Isn't he composing, or something?"

"Yes, he is. And he's quite good, if I do say so myself. At least he can uphold the traditions of House Themis. Violin always was one of our specialties!"

"I'm glad you're so happy for him."

"Listen, if my father ever found out I married Gaius, I'd be disowned. So keeping that a secret and telling him my son will be a world class violinist is the best I can do."

"Is three year old Brady going to do the same?"

"He can hold a violin, so yes, I hope so. I don't see why he shouldn't!"

They walk a little further until Maribelle finds one of the teashops she frequents, and buys three boxes for Robin, insisting on paying. Her treat- tea was her thing so she should be able to share it with the person she served.

"Maribelle, you do realise I don't really see you like a servant, or a retainer, or anything, right? You're my friend."

"And that's why you should know you can tell me anything, right?" Maribelle shot back, stopping in front of a clothes stall that reminded Robin of Lucina's horrible fashion sense.

"I told you earlier, there's nothing wrong."

"Robin, I know your struggles haven't stopped at Lucina. Call it what you want, your body language, women's intuition. What's wrong? I won't tell anyone, I promise."

"I think I'm pregnant," Robin sighed.

"Is that all? Gods, and here I was thinking that you were dying! Or Chrom was, or something!"

"Maribelle, I don't really want to be pregnant."

"Oh. Well, that could be a problem. Have you told him yet?"

"No."

"And you said you 'think' you're pregnant? As in, you haven't taken the test yet."

"Yeah. I was gonna do it today, but then I ran into Chrom on the way there and I chickened."

"Once you take the test, and if it's positive, come find me, okay? I'll help you through this, as your retainer _and_ as your friend."


	7. Teatime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chrom does some detective work.

"Is that everything, or are we done?" Chrom asks, setting his papers in a neat pile on the table in front of him. He casts a furtive look around the room, but before he gets the whole way around, there's a sharp intake of breath from the opposite end of the table. Everyone turns to look, and Olivia is glaring at Lon'qu, who is giving as good as he's getting. She sighs after only a few seconds under his gaze, and turns to face Chrom.

"We… we're moving back to Ferox. I'm going to be the next West Kahn."

"What?" Vaike asks loudly, with no concern for the poor girl's feelings. "But… you're a girl!"

"As is Flavia," Robin points out. "But… well, as badly worded as Vaike's comment may have been, I have to agree. You're not really what we think of in terms of a Kahn, Olivia."

"Traditionally, Kahns are always warriors. But Basilio can nominate a successor before he leaves, and he nominated me. He wants a new approach to the rule of Regna Ferox. More democratic, like the other nations around it. And… well, I thought that the least I can do is try. He's done so much for me over the years. He and Flavia will help me, and Lon'qu has volunteered to be my Champion for the first while at least, until I can find someone who doesn't fit the 'family' category."

"Congratulations," Chrom offers. "I'm sure you'll be a wonderful leader."

"Th-thank you."

"We're leaving on Monday, so this is our last day of council," Lon'qu fills in, and Chrom nods in understanding.

"Your contributions to Ylisse will not go unrewarded. You both have served on the council for the past two years, and your war efforts… well, we probably wouldn't have made it through if you weren't here."

"We don't need anything from you. Your service to Ferox has been great, and you've already paid off any debt as far as Basilio and Flavia are concerned."

"Well. I'll see about…"

"Chrom, drop it," Robin says, sending a glare his way. "That's us for the day then. Our thanks are extended to Lon'qu and Olivia for their extensive help."

She gets up, quickly gathering her things and leaving. Slowly, the other members of the council realise they can leave and follow her out the door. Maribelle catches Miriel's eye, and raises an eyebrow pointedly in her direction. The mage stifles a laugh with her hand, before briskly walking past Chrom and Lissa, who are still mildly confused about Robin's earlier outburst.

"Maribelle, what's wrong with Robin? She's seems pretty… angry," Lissa asks, stating the obvious.

"I don't think I should discuss that with you, Lissa. I don't have her permission to tell anyone anything, so until she says something herself, my lips are sealed. However, there's nothing… _wrong_ , per se," Maribelle answers sincerely, making an effort to get out the door. Chrom steps in front of her, arm blocking the door, and her only way out. She's not the only person left in the room, though, and she makes eye contact with Panne, Vaike and Libra before glaring at Chrom.

"Really, you blundering fool, you think one arm is going to stop two axe wielders, a tome user and a taguel from getting through this door? In all the years I have known you, this must be one of your most seriously stupid moves. If you want to know what's going on so badly, how about you talk to your wife?!" She says finally, pushing him to one side and moving on through the door. The others following her, Panne rolling her eyes on her way past.

"She's got a point," Vaike says, laughing at Chrom's expense.

"Why aren't you going to ask her?" Lissa says quietly, once the others have left.

"I'm afraid I'll make her more angry," he replies honestly, staring at the tiles under her feet.

"You won't."

"I will, though."

"If you keep believing that you're going to end up avoiding her for a week. Remember when you threw that stone at Emm's head when you were ten by accident, and then you ran away and didn't come out of your room-"

"That's not the same."

"-for a week? It _is_ the same, Chrom. You run away from your problems a lot, because you think you're going to make them worse! And honestly, as the leader of a country, that's pretty bad. So you better talk to Robin, or… I'll get frogs again and put them in your bed!"

With that, the princess stormed out, annoyed with her older brother's stubborn attitude. He had always been like this, and honestly she shouldn't have been surprised. But because he was so stubborn, he wasn't going to change any time soon. Scooping up Owain, she stomped upstairs, getting some strange looks from both her son and the servants busying themselves on the stairs.

* * *

"Sumia. Are you busy?" Chrom asks as the Pegasus knight passes the dining room where he had been wallowing in his sorrows for the past few hours.

"Not particularly. I have to be at the stables in an hour or so, but… do you need something?"

"Would you like a cup of tea?"

"Sir, I… okay," she sighs, entering the room and taking a seat beside him. There are tea cups set out in front of all the seats, but he fills Sumia's and refills his own, tossing sugar cubes into both cups. Sumia reaches for the milk jug, and fills the rest of her cup.

"Is there something on your mind?" She asks.

"Robin."

"Of course," she smiles. The young monarch was rightfully enamoured with his wife, and she tended to be the only thing he talked about.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asks defensively.

"Nothing! I just think it's wonderful how well you two get on together. I don't think I've ever met a pair with as much chemistry and love for each other."

"Well, she stormed out of the council meeting this morning, although you missed that. There's something wrong with her, and I have no idea what it is. She's been acting kinda funny for a few weeks now."

"Hasn't Lucina left for… wherever she is? Maybe that's what she's stressed about. Gods, Chrom, there are a million things that could be on her mind!" Sumia exclaims, setting down her teacup with a rattle. "Have you tried talking to her?"

"No," Chrom admits, folding his arms and glaring at his own untouched cup of tea. "Maribelle seems to know something, though, so I'll pester her more. Enough about me, however. How is everything going with you?"

"Wonderful! The stables have produced many pegasi and horses within the last few months, what with it being summer, and they're all doing spectacularly! It's really an honour to be able to work with them, so I must thank you again-"

"No thanks needed. I honestly couldn't think of anyone better suited for the job. It's just your sort of thing- you've always liked animals ever since I can remember."

"Well, I don't have much experience as a Pegasus Knight, really. My whole time in the army was me just winging it, to be honest. I'd never ridden a Pegasus before that day in Ferox, so… well, I was tutored by the best. Cordelia and Phila were some of the best teachers I could ever have wished for, may they rest in peace."

"Well, I think you do an excellent job, and I think having you around was a good decision on our behalf."

"You flatter me," she smiles, lifting her teacup to hide her blush.

The wooden doors to the dining room creak open slowly, and Robin stumbles in, her eyes locked on the teapot situated between Chrom and Sumia. Grabbing the nearest teacup, she pours herself a cup, almost oblivious to the other two sitting at the table. The scene is amusing- the two members of court who were born there, raised into nobility, and Robin, who although was also royalty, didn't care anywhere near as much. She never bothers with formal clothes, choosing comfort over looks, and leans against the table as if it was a bar. Sumia raises her eyebrows at Chrom, encouraging him to ask Robin. He glances at the table, before over at his wife.

"Are you alright?" He asks nervously. She lowers her teacup, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Oh, sorry. Did I interrupt you?"

"No, that's what I'm asking. Are you okay?"

"Hm? I'm fine," she smiles softly, downing the last of her lukewarm tea. The teapot hadn't down a great job of keeping it warm, and Chrom had been in here for almost an hour before Sumia joined him. "See you later," she says vaguely, kissing his hair, and leaving the room.

"She's not angry at least," Sumia laughs, tapping her nails against the table.

"What is _wrong_ with her?" Chrom mumbles, and Sumia places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You need to ask her properly. Sit her down, make her tell you. I _think_ I know, but… it's her decision to tell you."

"Not you too, Sumia! I thought I could trust you!"

"You can, captain," she smiles, getting up from her seat and pushing it back into the table. "You need to trust Robin more, though. I'd best be off, so… I'll see you later."

The Pegasus Knight escapes from the dining room, leaving the exalt on his own with the small remainder of tea. Although she could use the stables as an excuse, she has no intentions of leaving for there just yet. Instead, she heads to the back of the palace, into the gardens. Strictly speaking, she isn't allowed to wander around, but since she is a close friend of the royal family, the guards grant her access to many parts of the palace usually closed off to servants and other members of the shepherds. Today, she was outside to seek out Lissa, who spends the majority of her time out here instead of doing her proper duties. Sumia finds her by the herb garden, a product of Lissa's procrastination.

"Good afternoon, Lissa," Sumia smiles, causing the blonde girl to almost jump out of her skin.

"Sumia! You scared me!" Lissa greets, hoisting Owain onto her lap, who had been about to make an escape. The older girl sits down on the grass, her armour clanking as she makes herself comfortable.

"I just had tea with your brother," she sighs, rolling her eyes. "He seems to think his marriage is about to fall apart."

"Really," Lissa scoffs. "And why does that not surprise me? So he's still not talking to Robin? Or is she not talking to him?"

"No, they are, I think. She came in and downed a cup of tea and left. He asked if she was okay, and she said yes. She looked kinda… kinda weird, though. Like she wasn't all there."

"She has been acting kinda funny since she got back from wherever, but I think she'll be okay. But… well, Maribelle said Robin made her go out and buy loads of tea the other day, and…" Lissa raises her eyebrows suggestively, and Sumia nods sincerely.

"I remember what she was like when she was expecting Lucina. She drank more tea in nine months than I could've in five years!"

"I thought this morning that something might be up with her. Since she stormed out of the meeting, and she was pretty snappy with Chrom… her hormones are probably all over the place. I wouldn't be surprised if she cries into her dinner," Lissa said blandly, absentmindedly winding her fingers in Owain's hair. "I'm just glad that someone agrees with me! I can't tell Chrom though, at least not until I get proof."

"Where are you going to get proof from?"

"Miriel," Lissa states. "Miriel knows everything, and she and Robin seem to get on pretty well."

"That's a good plan! I have to get to the stables now, but keep me informed! I'll be around all evening!"

"Alright! Come to the dining room after dinner and I'll fill you in!"

"You've got yourself a deal!"

* * *

The blonde princess sneaks through the corridors, walking slowly so that her shoes don't click against the stone floor. Miriel is usually in her office late afternoon, although recently she can also be found in the police station in town, helping with the autopsy of the remaining assassin. However, Lissa saw her only a few hours earlier, and knew that she'd be here today. The mage often reads or practices her magic, however she's often prone to getting bored and sneaking around the palace to find someone to talk to.

Lissa knocks cleanly on the door, and when she hears the invitation in, she pushes the heavy wooden door open. Miriel flicks open her fire tome book that sits by her desk and lights all the candles in the room, flooding the otherwise dark room with warm orange light. Lissa stands in front of her desk, hovering nervously until Miriel begins the conversation.

"Lissa. Is there a problem? Are you sick?"

"No, no! I wanted to ask you a question."

"Then take a seat and ask away." Lissa draws up the seat from behind her and sits in front of Miriel's desk, crossing and uncrossing her legs until she's comfortable.

"It's about Robin."

"Ah."

"Is she… is she pregnant? I know she wouldn't appreciate me asking you this, because you're pretty much her doctor, and her best friend, but I'm worried, and Chrom's practically having an aneurysm over this!"

"Well, we can't have the Exalt's life in danger because of stress, now can we?" Miriel asks rhetorically, a smirk passing over her lips. "Simply put, she is. And I don't think she particularly wants to be. So she's been having a bit of a panic about it. She'll be fine, though. Everything will be okay once she gets her head around it."

"And she hasn't told Chrom yet?"

"No, no. I've been working with Maribelle, who, as her retainer, knows as well. Of course, that should be expected, as Robin's safety and well-being should be one of the top priorities of Maribelle. And in my opinion she's doing a commendable job."

"Well, that explains a lot," Lissa sighed. "I had kinda guessed, to be honest. Her behaviour has been all over the place recently, and she's drank _so much_ tea recently."

"Don't go telling Chrom, now. She and I have been working up to it, and I think she'll be able to do it soon."

"Alright," the blonde smiles as Miriel pushes her glasses up. "Thanks for telling me though. Now I can tell brother to be more sensitive, or something."

* * *

Dinner isn't as dramatic as Lissa had originally imagined it to be. Both Robin and Chrom are relatively silent throughout, with Lucina passing worried glances between them. Most of the conversation comes from Lissa and Maribelle, with loud interjections from Gaius and Owain, the latter of who starts crying for no reason. Lissa scolds him, causing him to cry louder, and earning him a glare from Maribelle. Chrom, on the other hand is more sympathetic, and gets up to comfort his nephew. Lissa picks up on the look on Robin's face- affectionate and soft, a change from her dramatic exit at the meeting this morning.

Chrom and Robin leave with Lucina after the meal is down, heading into the garden to soak up the early evening sunshine. The sun is only threatening to set, casting the first hints of pink and orange across the sky. A knock comes to the dining room door, and the remaining heads turns as the person comes into the room.

"Is this a bad time?" Sumia asks, wringing her hands. She's taken her armour off, presumably left it at home, and now wears a pale lilac dress suitable for the environment where she is.

"No!" Lissa says, offering the seat opposite her. "Once I get Owain cleaned up, I'll be right with you."

"You must tell me where you got your dress, Sumia," Maribelle requests, finishing off her usual after dinner cup of tea.

"Oh, I made it myself!" She explains proudly. "I've wanted something to keep myself occupied in the evenings, so I thought I may as well learn something new! I made some cushions first, and then this…"

"It looks lovely! You'll have to make me one some time," Maribelle jokes, but Sumia's eyes light up.

"Of course! If you get me your measurements, I can do that! I have lovely pink material left over from the cushions that I can use!"

"I'll make sure to do that."

"Alright! Sumia, do you want to go somewhere else? There shouldn't be anyone else in the ballroom," Lissa pipes up, ruffling Owain's hair.

"Sounds good to me!"

"I'll only be a few minutes," Lissa tells Owain, smiles at Ricken, and then bounces out of the room, followed by Sumia.

The corridors of the palace are relatively empty for the time of day, and Sumia and Lissa make it to the ballroom with relative ease. Lissa leans against the stage, beckoning for Sumia to join her. The golden room is basked in the dull evening light, making it look almost ethereal. Sumia is fidgeting- clearly desperate for the gossip.

"So, did you find anything?" She asks, unable to contain herself any longer.

"Well, I asked Miriel, and… well, we were right!"

"Really? Oh, that's wonderful!" Sumia exclaims.

"I know! Imagine, another Chrom running around. I hope it's a boy this time- that would make for a lovely family," Lissa gushes. "And imagine, I'll be an aunt again!"

* * *

Sumia wanders into the garden, following the trail of crumbs inevitably left behind by Lucina, who seemed to constantly be eating this weather. Chrom and Robin sat on a bench, watching Lucina fondly, who was picking a bunch of daisies from the grass in her tiny hand. Her presence goes unnoticed for almost a minute, until she clears her throat, and both parties look up.

"Sumia, is there a problem?"

"No! Can I have a word?"

"Sure," Chrom says, getting up from the bench and smiling at his wife before following Sumia back towards the palace.

"I know I said earlier that you had to ask Robin yourself what was wrong, but I found out for sure what's on her mind. And I thought if I tell you, then you'll know how to approach her better."

"Alright," the royal says, crossing his arms.

"She's expecting another baby," Sumia blurts out, casting her eyes to the ground.

"Really?"

"Really."

"I'm going to be a father again?"

"Yes."

"That's… that's amazing news! Why she didn't tell me already?"

"I don't know. But be careful when telling her. Lissa asked Miriel, and she told me, so… I hope that was okay to do."

"Thank you Sumia. I know I can count on you." He turns back to look at his family, a soft smile growing on his face at the thought of another baby.

* * *

Chrom pretends to be asleep when Robin comes to bed that night. He can't tell how she's feeling, but knows that she's nowhere near angry. Robin likes to let her emotions be known, and since he can't hear much, apart from the odd hummed note, he thinks that this might be a good time to bring up what he's been avoiding all day.

"I know you're awake," she says, slipping under the covers beside him. He rolls over to face her, expression serious.

"We need to talk." He sits up straight, half a glare on his face.

"Is this about this morning?" She sighs. "I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Tell you what?" She asks, narrowing her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me that you're pregnant?" He accuses, and she's silent. She sighs loudly, leaning her head back against the headboard with a bang.

"Who told you?"

"That doesn't matter-"

"Who told you?" She repeats, louder this time.

"Sumia. I asked her what was wrong with you, and she asked Lissa, who asked Miriel, who must've known."

"I told her since she's a doctor, and I told Maribelle, since she's also a healer, and my retainer. I hadn't told you because I was scared."

"Scared of what? That I might, I don't know, kick you out?"

"I don't know!" She yells, her eyes filled with tears.

"Robin, it's my child too, and I promise to take care of you and it the best I can."

"I know you will. I just… I don't think it's a great time for a baby. I'm only just back from wherever I was, and I'm still getting used to everything, and…"

"Robin," Chrom says forcefully, grabbing her shoulders. "I love you. And I love Lucina. And I love the new baby, too. We'll get through this, okay? Together."

"I love you too," Robin mumbles, and he wraps his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. "I'll try. I'll do my best. For you."


	8. Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everyone cries and Maribelle is exasperated.

_Dear Lucina,_

_I hope this reaches you before you leave. Things are well here, and I wanted to wish you luck before you leave on your journey with Inigo. I understand that you'll be gone for a long time, but I hope you'll be able to make time to visit us when you come back. Stay safe, Lucina._

_I also want to tell you that Robin is going to have another baby! That brings our total up to four, since we definitely consider you and Morgan our children. Do not think less of yourself because Robin did not give birth to you in this timeline. We still love you dearly._

_Thinking of you,_

_Chrom._

He never has been particularly good at letter writing, but he folds this one up anyway and stuffs it in an envelope, scrawling Lucina's address in Rosanne on the front. He seals it quickly, setting it on a growing pile of letters to be sent out. He tries desperately to remember when Lucina said she was leaving for her mystery destination, but he hopes, prays, that this arrives with her on time. The last thing he would want is Lucina arriving back to find that there is yet another child in the castle.

"You know, your idea of helping me work is vastly different from mine," he comments to Robin, who has been sifting through official documents in his office for the last hour or so.

"What, because you expected me to sit here and look pretty while you worked, and I'm actually helping?" She snorts, placing a neat pile in front of him.

"Yeah, pretty much," he sighs, glancing over the top page of the pile.

"Well, you never let me into your office, Exalt Chrom," she smiles, sitting back in her chair. "Those need signed, by the way."

"Don't say that," he mumbles, staring at the pages before lifting a pen.

"What, Exalt? It's your title, why not?"

"No reason."

"Oh come on. If I'm bothering you that much, I'll leave," she offers, uncrossing her legs.

"No, no. I like having you around."

"I would hope so, since we're married and all," she jokes, and Chrom finally cracks a smile.

"You know that you're more important to me than all this work, and I apologise for having to stay up late so much recently," he responds, signing another few pages and setting them in another pile by his side.

"It's fine. I know that there's a lot going on at the moment. There's a lot to sort out, what with all the assassination stuff…"

"You need to take care of yourself," Chrom interrupts, knowing exactly where she's going with this conversation.

"Oh, come on! I'm pregnant, not dying! There's a million things I can be doing, like attending council meetings, and helping you with your paperwork, and I can still attend royal visits for a while, but you're insisting I do nothing!"

"That's only because I care about you, and don't want anything to befall either you or the baby."

"I know, but…"

"Robin."

"Chrom." She narrows her eyes, hoping to make her displeasure with him evident.

"Alright, fine. You can come to council meetings, and help me. But no royal visits."

"That's fine," she smiles, leaning back in her chair once again. "I never really liked them anyway."

"Then why did you complain?"

"Because I know how you operate, Chrom. I know that you're a very… pros and cons sort of person. You like lists of what's the best option, and what will and won't go wrong. And trust me, as I've been through this before, I know that nothing will go wrong."

"How are you feeling about… all this?" He asks tentatively.

"Better," Robin replies, managing a small smile. "I'm coming round to the idea of it. I think Lucina will really benefit from a sibling. I know she gets bored easily."

"I wrote to the other Lucina, but whether or not she'll receive it or not is another matter," Chrom informs, and Robin is silent for a minute. He tears his eyes away from the papers for a while, meeting her own. She looks sad, and he can't quite figure out why until she talks again.

"What about Morgan?" Her words are barely a mumble, and he closes his own.

"I don't have any way of contacting him, try as I might. I've asked the shepherds to keep an eye out, in case he comes back to Ylisstol. He always did seem a little… strange, if you ask me. Like he wasn't all there. Maybe he went back to his own time?"

"Perhaps. Listen, Chrom…" Robin starts, but thinks better, and shakes her head. "Never mind. It's not important."

"Anything you have to say is important to me," he says sincerely, crossing his arms.

"I'd like… to name our child after Morgan. He was our child in another timeline, no doubt about that, and I think it would only be befitting that he was named the same here."

"What if it's a girl?"

"I think it's a pretty unisex name."

"I have no problem. I think it's a lovely way to honour the other Morgan. However, it's not a royal name, not that I'm aware of, so… you may have to fight your case against some other nobles. But it's lovely. I think it's an excellent choice."

* * *

The training grounds have been relatively silent since the official end of the war, with no soldiers needing to practice their skills in sword fighting or magic. Often, a few shepherds congregate there, sparring for old time's sake. Although their job in the shepherds isn't over, as they've largely all joined the council, they still are required to be in shape for fighting.

Today, Robin sneaks out from the palace and heads to the barracks. It's a Sunday, so there is no council meeting, and she decides to alleviate her boredom by learning something new. With all the books in the library read cover to cover, she decides on archery, something she has never had a chance to learn. Of course, she doesn't really need to learn, but at this stage, she's desperate for something to do.

Before, she would've picked Lon'qu to help her. Although by no means a professional, he picked up the skill when she reclassed him to an assassin. His prowess in the sword was not to be overlooked, of course, but he didn't mind the extra weapon to master. But now that he was gone, she had to settle for Vaike, who also was a secondary archer. He wouldn't have been her first choice even if he was the only archer in the army, but since he was the only one in Ylisstol, she made do. Maribelle accompanied her, as usual, noticing the queen leaving from her usual tea spot in the front garden.

"You know, strangely, I've become quite attached to Vaike as of late. As a fellow defender of the castle, we've become good friends," Maribelle admits, although her stern facial expression doesn't change in the slightest. "However, I will never get over the brute's disgusting habit of burping so often. Really, it's unnecessary. I do not understand how he managed to charm Panne, although since she's a different species, I guess she doesn't really have the same standards as the rest of us."

"I would've thought petty insults were above you," Robin smirks, and Maribelle splutters.

"Well! I… I apologise, milady. That was rude of me in hindsight."

"Say whatever you like, I won't tell anyone."

"I won't take you up on your offer. I have an almost endless list of complaints about your husband."

"As do I," Robin sighs, but then laughs. "I'm glad to get out today. It's been a while since I've been on a walk further than around the garden."

"Chrom doing that overprotective husband thing again?" Maribelle asks, rolling her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?"

"He means well."

"I know, but that doesn't stop him from being an idiot. Anyway, we're here. I do hope you won't go overboard, or Chrom will kill me for… I don't know, abandoning my job, or something."

"I don't see how firing a few arrows counts as going overboard."

"You don't fire an arrow, dear! You loose it, technically, but shoot is also an acceptable term."

"Well, sorry," Robin laughs. "I clearly have a lot to learn."

"I'll be inside if you need me. Please, don't hesitate to come in if he's melting your brain, or whatever," Maribelle sighs, rolling her eyes dramatically before wandering inside the barracks.

Robin turns the corner, jumping over the short fence into the training grounds. Chrom would've killed her for that 'reckless' move, but she laughs to herself, landing safely on both her feet. Vaike is already waiting for her, and she calls out to him before she reaches him. He has targets set up along the length of the field, and has two bows in his hand.

"Robin! Is Maribelle not with you?" He asks, handing a bow to her.

"She's inside," she explains, taking the bow from his outstretched hand. "Probably having tea, or cleaning, or something."

"Wouldn't surprise me. Anyway, go on! Fire some arrows! Let the Vaike see what you can do!"

"Alright, Teach," she laughs, her mind on Maribelle's correction from earlier.

* * *

The pale blue glow from Maribelle's heal staff lights up the road back to Ylisstol in the early evening light. Robin winces as the cuts on her hands, caused by the archery, close over, and the bruises start to fade. The blood dries up, and Robin pokes at it with her nail until Maribelle swats her hand away. The healer sucks in her breath, before exhaling in desperation, and irritated look making her eyebrows furrow in.

"I told you not to overexert yourself, Robin! Now Chrom is going to kill me!"

"I don't think my hands have any connection to the baby, Maribelle."

"That's not the point! Your hands are bloodied and cut up, and I will have to explain to Chrom why! I swear, you will be the death of me."

"I can tell him. It's not your fault, but mine," Robin sighs quietly, and Maribelle whips round to see her, a glare still prominently on her face.

"Fine! But I am taking no responsibility for this!"

"I don't expect you to."

"Good. Anyway, how did it go?" Maribelle asks, genuine curiosity in her voice.

"Awfully, actually," Robin admits. "Hence all the cuts. I think I'll have to try a new hobby."

"Perhaps something more calming and safe? Floristry, maybe? Or you could take up an instrument. I could instruct you in the violin, if that pleases you."

"I'll think about it, but thanks for the offer. Maybe I'll write a book? There's a lot to write about that's happened recently."

"That would go down a storm with the royal fanatics. It's rare that a royal publishes a book, much less an autobiography."

"An autobiography of mine wouldn't be worth reading, since it would only start age nineteen or so, since that's what I can remember."

"I thought you recalled earlier memories?"

"Barely. They're there, but I can't quite reach them. It's blurry. Maybe one day I'll be able to get them back, but for now, they're firmly locked away," she explains. She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, staring at the ground. "It's probably for the best, though, since I can't imagine they'd be too good."

"Still, I'm not sure a lot of commoners know about the war. It would be a best seller, I'm sure."

"I might. It sounds like a good idea."

"I know your letters are always well written and fluent, so you'll have no problem! I'm more than willing to be your editor if you need me."

"Thanks, Maribelle. I'm sure Chrom will be much more pleased with this idea than the archery," Robin laughs, and Maribelle exhales deeply, examining the queen's hands once again.

* * *

A loud cry wakes Chrom and Robin from their sleep one night, high pitched and worryingly close to their room. Their defensive reflexes kick in right away, and both of them are out of bed in an instant, Chrom grabbing Falchion from above his bed and Robin reaching for the tome that lies on the dresser.

"I'll go," Robin says, confident that the call came from Lucina's room. Chrom nods, and takes up watch by the door. The woman pads down the corridor, her nightclothes not giving her much protection from the chill of the night air. A soft sniffling noise can be heard from the young princess's room, and she pushes the door open gently to see her daughter curled up at the foot of her bed.

"Lucina?" Robin asks softly, treading gently across the carpet towards the bed. "What happened, is something wrong?" She deposits the tome on Lucina's nightstand, and kneels beside the shaking lump under the covers.

"Mummy?"

"I'm here."

Slowly, Lucina's head pokes out from the blanket, face tear stained and hair matted from rolling around so much. She dives forwards into Robin's arms, and Robin relaxes, wrapping her arms around the child. She's still so small, and Robin pats her head gently as the girl weeps.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It was a nightmare," Lucina starts, but then shakes her head, burying her face in Robin's chest.

"Did something bad happen?" Robin pushes.

"There was a dragon," Lucina says, and Robin's face falls. There is no way that Lucina could remember Grima, although she was alive when he was resurrected.

"I understand. I get nightmares about dragons too," Robin admits, and Lucina looks up at her with wet eyes. Lucina hugs her mother tighter, and Robin smiles, hand on the young girl's head.

After a few minutes, Chrom opens the door to Lucina's room, Falchion still in hand. He stops when he hears the quiet sniffles of Lucina and the off-key humming of Robin. He takes up position on the floor, beside Robin, and holds his arms out to pass Lucina over to him. Robin obliges, and, although she's probably too big for it, Chrom rocks Lucina back and forth, singing quietly into her ear. Robin has to strain to hear it, and the lyrics aren't clear, but the melody is intact, and a smile finally passes over her face.

Lucina falls asleep quickly after Chrom's lullaby, and he places her back into her bed, gently covering her with the blanket she was so reluctant to leave earlier. He places a kiss on her forehead, and then extends his hand to Robin to help her up. He kisses the top of her head too (it's easier when she isn't wearing shoes), and doesn't let go of her hand until they're both back in their own bed and sleep has taken them.

X

"You have fourteen royal visits to attend to this month, captain," Sumia informs, standing carefully from her seat to deliver the news. "The first is in two days time, and I trust that you'll be bringing Robin with you?"

"No, she's staying behind to care for Lucina. Lissa will be coming in her stead."

"You could've told me," the princess mumbles in response, glaring at her elder brother.

"I was going to later, but now's a good a time as any."

"Regardless, you better be prepared, since it's your first meeting with the new Plegian King since the war."

"Wait, Plegia?" Robin speaks up, sitting straighter in her chair at the mention of her homeland. "If it's Plegia, then I insist on coming too."

"That's probably not a good idea. The scars from the war are still new, and if they see the person who singlehandedly took down their king and Grima, they might try to lynch you," Chrom points out, and Maribelle nods vigorously in agreement. There are murmurs for Robin's safety around the room, but she puts her foot down.

"Technically," she points out, and Chrom sighs, understanding where she's about to go. "Don't do that. Technically, I should be the next queen of Plegia."

"I think if you marched into Plegia and declared yourself their queen, you'd definitely be killed. And yes, okay, technically, you should be, but you're the queen of Ylisse, and you can't rule two countries at once."

"I'm not ruling Ylisse at all! You are, and I'm married to you! Not that I want to rule Plegia, particularly, but I just thought I ought to point it out," she says, retracting back and crossing her arms defensively.

"We'll discuss this later," Chrom says finally, nodding to Maribelle. "If you're so desperate to go, maybe we can sort something out. Sumia, do you anything about the king?"

"Not really, sir. From what I've heard, he's a lot different than Validar, not as cruel. I've also been made aware that he's not a Grimleal, so I suppose that's good for Robin."

"Grima's dead," Robin points out bluntly. "Even if they still wanted to revive him, it would be impossible. You can't raise the dead."

"Actually," Tharja starts, and every eye in the room turns to her. "You can. I mean, I've never seen it done in person, but there is a spell known to actually be possible to raise the dead. It's a sort of reverse Nosferatu. It takes life from the wielder and gives it into the subject. I've only heard of it being done on deceased babies, like in still births, so it's not as hard, but I imagine… well, a dragon really isn't out of the bounds of possibility, especially for Plegian mages."

The room is silent, and Tharja's smirk wipes straight off her face. The silence feels deadly, and Chrom swallows hard. Robin folds the hem of her cloak over and over. Maribelle is the one to break the silence, clearing her throat loudly.

"Even if they could in theory revive Grima, why would they want to? It would be terribly difficult to get to the bottom of the sea where it's carcass lies, after all."

"Their king isn't openly a Grimleal, but that doesn't mean he isn't one. He could be controlling things from behind the scenes. Is this spell common knowledge in Plegia, Tharja?" Robin asks, leaning her elbows on the table.

"Within advanced Dark Mages, I would say pretty common. However, I've never seen it for myself, so I can't say for certain if it's real or not."

"That settles it, then. I'm coming to Plegia with you," Robin says defiantly, and Chrom sighs in defeat.

* * *

_The skies are dark, and thunderclouds obscure the sun. No sign of natural light from the sky can be seen, but the ghostly glow of Grima's red eyes makes seeing no problem. You can see yourself, in front, only a matter of metres away from where you currently stand. Enemies surround you and the rest of the shepherds, but even with your Thoron tome, you're hardly making any progress through the crowd._

_Suddenly, there's an explosion, and you're left feeling weak. Ahead, you spot Ricken and Panne, supported by Gaius, having a go at Grima. She's weakening, clearly, and finally there's a gap in the crowd and you rush through. Chrom follows suit, and you're immediately cut off from the enemy group. It's immediately obvious to you why no one else has made it this far. Grima's aura is strong, and even being in her presence makes you wince. You've changed your hair since you first met her as the hierophant, just so the connection is lessened, just slightly._

_Grima falls to the ground. Gaius is nursing a horrible injury to his chest, and Maribelle canters up him, her horse almost tripping on the uneven surface of Grima's back. Your turn your attention away, noticing the horrible smell of death at your feet. You don't look down. You don't need to. You know that it is Henry, and looking at his face will make you cry, and you can't afford tears, not now, not when you're so close to saving the world and yourself._

_"Grima," you call, and she turns her head up to look. "It's over." Chrom arrives beside you as she narrows her eyes, pointing Falchion at her head._

_"I've made my decision," he says, "you matter to me, Robin. So I will kill Grima for you, so you can live."_

_Before he finishes his sentence, you've already fired that final Thoron needed to kill Grima. She disappears in a flash of golden electricity, and Chrom's jaw goes slack._

_"There's no time for goodbyes, Chrom. I will always love you," you smile at him. Your feet are disappearing, and already you can feel Grima's rapid descent into the sea below you. "Take care of Lucina, and take care of the Shepherds, and rule Ylisse like the ruler I know you can be."_

_"Robin! Wait, what have you done? Don't… don't leave me!" He cries, attracting attention from the others around you._

" _Chrom… goodb-"_

Robin wakes up suddenly, shooting upright, her mouth open as if to scream but no sound coming out. Tears run down her face, hot and fast, and clearly her movement was enough to wake Chrom up, as he groans from behind her, rubbing his eyes.

"Robin?" He asks groggily, and when she doesn't answer, he sits up too, moving towards her. "Hey." His voice is gentle, and his eyes are scared, but nothing compared to Robin. She's catatonic, stock still apart from the tears. She shudders, her eyes blinking fast to rid themselves of tears. "A nightmare?" Chrom asks, and slowly she nods. He wraps his arms around her, and she buries her face in his chest, just like Lucina a few nights previously.

"It's all my… fault," she whispers between sobs. "Grima was me, and I was Grima… if I was never born…"

"If you were never born, we'd all be dead, put it that way. Lucina couldn't have come back from the past…"

"I wouldn't have killed you in the past! How can you trust me, knowing that I killed you once before, in another timeline!"

"Because Grima is dead now," Chrom reminds softly, tangling his fingers in her hair and kissing her forehead. "It's okay. It's all over."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> can you tell that Maribelle is my favourite awakening character


	9. Injury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chrom doesn't listen.

"News about the assassination attempt, sir," Maribelle says, delivering a stack of sheets to Chrom's office. "The second body was identified through dental records, and it took a hell of a long time. Apparently, he used to be part of the Ylissian army, although he put down his arms after Emmeryn's death. He was a huge supporter of hers, and not so much of you, by the sounds of things." She points at the face on the top of the pile, and Chrom nods in acknowledgment.

"I recognise him, probably from the army." He lifts the photo to look at the page underneath, and raises an eyebrow at the next picture, taken at the autopsy. "Tharja really did a number on him."

"Well, that's what she's there for, I suppose. Regardless, I'll be trying to find where he may have been operating from. Because he was military, we have former addresses, so we can chase up leads."

"Are you sure you're allowed to do this, Maribelle? I mean, this is usually police work."

"Well, we all have ambitions," she says haughtily, turning her head away.

"I'll take that as a no," Chrom laughs. "Your dedication is appreciated, however, and don't forget that. I'll assign some people to help you with this."

"Oh, don't worry," she replies flippantly, waving a hand. "Gaius is helping, since he's an expert on the criminal underworld of Ylisse, he'll be more help than any team you have."

"Don't go in anywhere alone, okay?"

"Chrom," Maribelle says finally, placing her hand on his forearm. "We'll be fine."

* * *

Robin replaces the bandages on her hands herself, with a stash she keeps in the cabinet in the bedroom. It's all stolen from Miriel, who could care less. She got Lissa to heal the cuts earlier, avoiding explaining why, and telling her that under no circumstances is she to tell Chrom. They hurt a lot less than they did last week, but she's pretty sure that some of the cuts will scar. The bruises are fading fast, but her joints are still stiff, and she regrets ever deciding to do archery.

Unfortunately, when you live with someone, it's hard to keep secrets from them. Her gloves don't cover the ends of her fingers, and she ends up begging Maribelle for a pair of her signature pink gloves, although they make her hands far too warm. Robin's gloves are more akin to arm bracers, and she only wears them to prevent muscular dystrophy when practicing magic. Maribelle's are cute, and fleece lined, and are well suited to a high-ranking woman such as herself. Robin finds them uncomfortable, but doesn't protest.

Of course, you can't sleep with gloves on, and Chrom is quick to realise when he catches her hand in his own as she leaves in the morning for the bathroom. They're still bandaged up, and she winces, and he raises an eyebrow. She folds her arms, hiding her hands like a child, in the hope he'll forget.

"What happened? Were you involved in a fight?" He asks, genuine concern evident on his face.

"No."

"Then what happened?"

"I decided to take up archery," she sighs, releasing her hands from the bandages to show him the full horror of her hands. He gasps at the cuts and bruises, but she silences him before he can start on her. "And it turns out, I'm really bad at it. So I won't be doing it again. Maribelle suggested I write a book or take up floristry."

"I think you'd be a wonderful author," Chrom admits, lifting one of Robin's hands to his lips and placing a gentle kiss on it. "I still can't believe that you managed to mess up this badly, though."

"My talents clearly lie in strategy and magic, not archery."

"Hey, don't put yourself down. You're pretty handy with a sword, too. I remember the time when I asked you to spar with me, and you ended up on top of me and almost decapitated me," Chrom reminisces fondly.

"You shouldn't sound so happy about almost being decapitated," Robin points out, her face heating up considerably.

"And you shouldn't be so embarrassed about a memory that you share with your husband," Chrom laughs, pulling her towards him and placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Oh, shut up," she says, weakly hitting him on the arm to free herself from his grip. She sighs, sitting on the end of the bed. "I know you and Maribelle are planning to go after the assassins," she says bluntly, and Chrom swallows hard.

"And?"

"Should the exalt really be putting himself in such danger?"

"It won't be dangerous, Robin."

"I think assassins rank pretty highly on the list of dangerous things, Chrom," Robin points out, folding her arms once again.

"We're going with the police to see what we can find, and maybe make a few arrests. Gaius and Tharja will be there too, and everyone knows that they are skilled fighters."

"That's not the point," Robin sighs. "You're the leader of this country. If you die for some reason, who's gonna take over? I'm not popular- I should be running Plegia, not here! Lucina's too young, and Lissa… well, it's not that she couldn't, but it's probably not a good idea for her to, considering she's not diplomatic at all and rules with her heart, which isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"About Plegia," Chrom interrupts, ignoring her previous question. "Are you ready to go? We leave at dawn tomorrow. I know that it was supposed to be last week, and they postponed it due to the king being ill, but are you still up to going?"

"Ah yes, my condition has deteriorated considerably in the last seven days since we last discussed this, as I'm now one week closer to giving birth," Robin says sarcastically. "I'll be fine. You better not get killed or anything later. I am _not_ going to Plegia alone."

* * *

"What's this?" Robin asks as Maribelle marches into the library, buried behind a huge stack of paper. She sets it down on the table with a slam, and drops a pen beside. Robin shuts her book, making a mental note of the page number, and sets it to one side.

"Paper. So you can write your memoir," Maribelle states plainly.

"I wasn't serious about doing it. I think I'm a bit young to be writing my life story. Or… the last few years of my life," Robin protests.

"You don't have to do anything with it. It doesn't need to be published, and you don't need to let anyone else read it. Think of it more as therapy. Write what you remember. It doesn't need to be important things; it doesn't even need to be chronological. Trust me when I say this, darling, I believe this will do you a lot of good."

"I'll try," Robin smiles weakly, and Maribelle nods in response.

"Good. I have to go find that wretched husband of yours now," she sighs, straightening out her cloak.

"Make sure he doesn't die. And yourself, of course."

"No one will be dying on my watch, dear, don't you worry. See you later!"

Robin waves at Maribelle's back as she leaves, shutting the heavy library door behind her. She lifts a few sheets off the top of the pile- really, it was unnecessary for Maribelle to bring so many. The whiteness of the pages stares at her, and suddenly her mind is blank. Not one word comes into her head. Where do you even begin with writing an autobiography? Instead of writing about herself, she writes the first name that enters her mind.

_Chrom._

She follows it with another: _Lucina._ And another: _Morgan._

 _Grima_ comes next, and _Plegia_ follows suit.

She lists all the shepherds, all the people she's fought against, all her allies. She writes _Emmeryn_ and _Phila_ and then casts the page across the table before lifting a second. Well, at least it was a start.

* * *

Gaius arrives in the hall of the castle before anyone else, and since no one else is around, he swipes the large glass bowl from the table by the door. He's heard Robin complain about it before, so he reckons he's probably doing everyone a favour. Tharja appears as he's closing his satchel, her dark eyes boring into him. She moves quickly, fluidly, and then she's leaning against the wall beside him, tome held between her now crossed arms.

"She's going to kill you, you know," she points out dryly, nodding at the gap on the table.

"Who, Robin? Nah, that thing was ugly. I can probably get two thousand gold, if not more for it down the market. I'll buy a replacement, something that actually looks half decent."

"No, I mean your wife," Tharja drawls, her mouth contorting into a smirk. "I thought you told her your thieving days were over."

"I did, so you better not say anything to her. I told her I'd cleaned my act up, and she believes me, so you're not to go ruining this!"

"Don't worry, I won't. Maybe a little spell will help? Something that makes the subject's tongue tight, so they can't tell their little secrets to anyone, even by accident… or maybe I'll curse Maribelle so she can't hear it when you inevitably tell her."

"I'm not falling for your tricks again, Tharja. Your spells always have horrible consequences."

"Only on you. I have a perfect track record otherwise. You are an anomaly. Anyone in Plegia would be happy to have me offer them a curse."

"Really Chrom, you shouldn't be coming!" Maribelle's voice carries from down the corridor, and soon the clicking of her heeled boots and the clank of Chrom's armour can be heard as they round the corner and come into sight. "We have no idea what will be happening here, so it's probably not the best idea for you to come!"

"Here she comes, bringing a storm with her… it's only a matter of time before she finds out," Tharja prophesises.

"Shut up."

"Well, I'm coming either way, and that's final. Don't forget, I'm your boss, not the other way around. Gaius, Tharja, ready to go?"

"Yes, sir," Gaius says lazily, pushing himself off the wall and away from Tharja's presence. She smirks in response, brushing past the table where the glass bowl sat before, drawing Maribelle's eye to it. The blonde narrows her eyes at the gap on the table, her eyebrows furrowing, but shakes her head in response.

"Let's go then," she sighs. "And no one is to get killed, alright?"

* * *

Their destination is a while away from the palace, almost on the outskirts of Ylisstol. Maribelle walks in front, and Chrom behind her, his head down, mumbling to Gaius. Tharja brings up the rear of the group, arms folded, glaring at anyone who makes eye contact. Gaius seems to know where exactly he's going, and Chrom assumes that this is why he's in the group in the first place. He mutters instructions to Maribelle, who doesn't respond outwardly, but follows the directions expertly. They quickly end up in a part of town Chrom was ashamed to say he'd never seen in his life. The buildings were run down, some on the verge of collapsing in on themselves.

"Are you certain this is the right place?" Maribelle asks, tapping her foot impatiently.

"This is the address you gave me, so yeah, I guess," Gaius replies. She sighs and marches up to the front door, if you could even call it that, knocking briskly. Within a few moments, it opens, and a young woman cradling a baby comes to the door.

"Hello?" She asks, her hand not leaving the door.

"Hello," Maribelle says, smiling warmly. "My name is Maribelle, and I work as a retainer for Lady Robin. I have a few questions for you, but I can assure you that you're not in trouble. Would we be able to come in?" The woman glances around her, and upon realizing that they're the only ones there, nods.

"Be quick." Her voice is rough, and her eyes are tired, and Chrom can tell that she's seen a world of troubles he could never imagine. She leads them through to a back room, with a few rickety chairs in it. She sits on one, and Maribelle perches on another, dusting it off not so subtly before sitting. Chrom sits on the last chair, and Tharja stands at the doorway, facing away from the room. Gaius leans against the wall, not afraid by the fact that it looked as though it might collapse any moment.

"Do you know this man?" Maribelle says, getting straight to the point. She holds the photo up of the man in his military uniform, and the woman's hand goes straight to her mouth before she nods slowly. "Who is he?" Maribelle prompts, but the woman is too shocked to speak.

"Lady, we need you to tell us truthfully how you know him. It's of utmost importance to the kingdom," Chrom speaks up, and Maribelle shoots him a look of despair.

"Chrom," she hisses, her tone clearly a warning for him to shut up.

"Exalt Chrom?" The woman asks, and Chrom turns to her, nodding apprehensively. She takes a deep breath, before exhaling slowly. "That man was my husband. Sergeant Donald Armor. He used to serve in your army, a long time ago. But then Lady Emmeryn passed away, and he left, saying he didn't agree with the new Exalt's views."

"A lot of people don't, even though I'm trying to follow in my sister's footsteps the best I possibly can," Chrom admits.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Maribelle questions, pushing forward with her investigation.

"The end of March, start of April, maybe… it was a long time. He said he was going to work somewhere, and he may not be back for a while. I've been trying to bring up this one on my own, but it's difficult."

"I understand the struggle of being a single parent. I know our circumstances are different, but…"

"Seriously Chrom, shut up," Gaius interjects. "You know nothing of poverty."

"We've had this conversation before."

"Sorry." Gaius rolls his eyes, returning to his original silence.

"I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but I'm afraid your husband is dead," Maribelle says, gritting her teeth for the reaction to come. But there is none. The woman is silent, staring straight at Maribelle.

"What happened?" She asks.

"He broke into the palace on the night of the royal banquet earlier this year, with clear intent to assassinate either the king or the queen. He, along with his accomplice, were killed on the spot."

"I always knew he was opposed to you, but to attempt to take your life… something else must be going on here. It wasn't like him."

"We understand-" Chrom starts, but Tharja cuts him off.

"Chrom. We've got trouble." Her eyes flicker from the front of the house to the woman, and then landing on Chrom. "We need to leave. There are people at the front, and they don't look happy. They must've seen us coming in."

"This whole area is very anti exalt," the woman admits. "You can leave through the back. I can tell them you've gone."

"It's too late, they've already seen us," Tharja explains, drawing her tome book out and flicking through the pages. "You need to leave too. Your life is now in danger."

"Is there anywhere you can go, even for now?" Chrom says, getting to his feet and unsheathing Falchion.

"Yes," she replies, grabbing a bag from the counter. It was clearly meant to be a get away bag- already packed and ready for whenever she needed it.

"Then go. We'll protect you. Gaius, Tharja, you take the back. Maribelle, behind me. We'll get you out of here safely, don't worry."

There's a loud crash fro the front door, and Tharja's voice yells out 'Nosferatu' before anything else can happen.

"Run," she says, and she retreats backwards, hand held outwards for when the cloud of dark magic clears. She squints to peer through the darkness. "Maribelle, throw me that fire tome." The leather bound book is passed to Gaius as they continue their exit, and Tharja lights a single flame on the tip of her finger, peering into the smoke. Suddenly, a figure jumps at her, and she steps backwards, only a few steps from escape. Chrom and Maribelle are already outside, and Gaius is currently standing in the doorframe, sword drawn and held out in front of her.

"I'll protect your life here, and you keep quiet to Maribelle, okay?"

"Deal."

He steps out in front of her, and she runs out to the back, muttering spells under her breath, her hands glowing blue and yellow and red to protect Gaius. He arrives outside unscathed, and she breathes a sigh of relief.

"Is that it?"

"No," the woman says, pointing to the end of the alleyway. "Here they come."

"We can execute them for threatening the exalt, right?" Tharja drawls, putting the fire tome back in Maribelle's bag. The blonde shrugs in response, but Gaius nods, so the sorcerer takes that as her cue to rain down all hell on the four men advancing towards them. "Nosferatu!"

"Bolganone!" Maribelle cries in response, the fireball flying behind Tharja's dark magic. Chrom runs in after, Falchion gleaming under the noon sun. There's silence for a second, before the unmistakable cry of pain, and Gaius moves this time, flying after Chrom. Maribelle swaps her tome for a heal staff, and she teeters on the edge of the brawl. Tharja clears the air of her dark magic in one swift movement, and the catastrophe is revealed.

All four men are down, but so is Chrom, clutching at his side. There's a pool of blood, but at least two of them are still alive, so Tharja conjures up dark magic handcuffs, restraining them. Gaius runs off, yelling something about the police. The woman is shaking, but Tharja places a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay. It's over now. And you're safe, which is a bonus."

"B-but…"

"I've seen worse. Really."

"Chrom, you absolute buffoon! I told you this was a bad idea, you troglodyte! Gods, what have you done?" She drags his body out, with many protests from him. She kneels by his side and notices the blood spilling out from under his clothes. She carefully peels them back, wincing at the deep gash in his side. "Well, you haven't severed any major arteries, so I guess that's something," she mumbles, putting her healing staff to work on his side. "We'll have to get you back to the castle right away."

"Thanks, Maribelle."

"Shut it. Robin is going to go _through_ you."

* * *

"I told you to be careful!" Robin screams, all the while still holding his hand.

"I didn't know they would have concealed daggers."

"You should've assumed!"

"I'm sorry."

"At least Maribelle says you'll only have a recovery time of a few days," She says, brushing his matted hair out of his eyes.

"That means you have to go to Plegia on your own," Chrom says, averting his eyes.

"No way. You can heal on the road. It takes a few days to get there, and you'll be mostly patched up. And it's not like Plegia is without healers, anyway."

"Fine. But if I die, it's your fault."

"Don't be stupid… what was it Maribelle called you? Troglodyte?"

"We're not going to speak of the slew of insults she said to me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me before I wrote this: Invisible Ties will be ten parts long  
> Me now: Invisible Ties will be twelve parts long


	10. Plegia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chrom and Robin argue with an old foe and a new king.

The dungeons under the palace are rarely used any more. Since the era of peace began, there is no need for prisoners to be held there. Any criminals are held at the police station, a small building on the outskirts of town, which has an adjoining jail of a good size. Fortunately, the crime rate of Ylisse is low, so the prison was usually fairly empty. The only crime that warrants being held in the dungeons is treason, and that's what the men Maribelle and Tharja apprehended are charged with.

"So," Maribelle begins, trying her best to be as intimidating as possible. Interrogation isn't her strong suit, and she doesn't really know where to begin. "Are you going to tell us why you were involved in an assassination attempt on the Exalt and his wife, or…"

"Or what?" One of the men spits, and Maribelle turns her nose up at him, swallowing hard.

"Or we'll have to use other means to get the information out of you," Libra says calmly. Maribelle is still shocked that he volunteered to help her with this, but maybe there's something written somewhere about priests being good at intimidation. "Unfortunately for you, torture isn't illegal in Ylisse."

"Are you not a man of the cloth? I'm pretty sure Naga says you can't torture people," another man shouts back, and Libra clears his throat.

"While I may not agree with the concept, I won't be doing the torturing you. And I can tell you; my wife is very adept at curses. I'd watch your back. Now, will you answer the original question?" He smiles threateningly, his face still a picture of calm.

"It wasn't an attempt on Exalt Chrom's life," the youngest says, and the others shoot looks of disdain towards him. "As much as we don't like him, we know better than to try that. We were giving orders for Lady Robin's life."

"What?"

"You heard him," the leader sneers, "We want the girl."

* * *

"How are you holding up?" Robin asks when Chrom winces going over a bump in the road.

"I'm okay. I'll live. We're nearly in Plegia, right?"

"Right. Just over this next hill, and then we'll have crossed the border. I'm afraid it's still a while until we reach the capital, though." Chrom sighs at this, resting his head on the back of his seat in the carriage. It's not often that they travel in the fanciest carriage- it's usually reserved for special occasions. But Chrom deemed meeting the new King of Plegia a special occasion, so Sumia groomed some of the nicer horses up and they pulled them to the border of the desert country.

"Are you nervous?" Chrom asks, his voice soft.

"I can't lie and say I'm not," Robin admits, turning her head to look out the window. "It's the first time we've set foot in Plegia since Validar died, and… well, the whole situation makes me pretty uncomfortable."

"Do you think anyone will say anything to you? About the fact that you should be their queen?"

"No. Well, I do, but I hope they won't. I know that technically, my rightful place is on Plegia's throne, now, leading them through peace just like you're leading Ylisse. But I know that where I want to be is in Ylisstol with you. Plegia… Plegia isn't really my home. I don't remember much about it, and I only really have bad memories of recent times."

"I don't blame you. Gangrel and Validar were both awful people. Apparently, way back when, Plegia used to flourish under Hero King Marth's reign, but that might be a story."

"He was from Plegia? But I thought that… is he not your ancestor? I thought he was the start of House Ylisse?"

"He might be. It's all so long in the past, and a lot of stuff hasn't been recorded," Chrom laughs, tying his fingers in knots. "But I heard from Emm once that there's a battlefield in Plegia that used to be his home. I suppose we'll never know, but it's something I'm interested in."

"I'm sure we can find out more. There's bound to be a wealth of resources here in Plegia, if it's true," Robin says, her eyes lighting up at the idea of getting to scour the Plegian libraries.

"We have more pressing things to deal with while we're here. Your enthusiasm is cute, though," Chrom smirks, and she pulls a face not unlike a frog.

"Did Maribelle give you an agenda?"

"It was Sumia, actually. I never thought she'd be this organized, but…" he roots around in one of his bags, and pulls out an envelope. "Day one: arrive in Plegia. Be met by the king. Tour of the palace. Dinner with high-ranking Plegian officials. Open air concert in the palace gardens."

"That seems like a lot for one day…" Robin says hesitantly.

"Nowhere does it say 'crown Robin queen of Plegia'," Chrom comments, and a smile comes back onto her face.

"Thanks for cheering me up," she says, and he wraps an arm around her shoulders.

"Everything will be fine. I promise."

* * *

The streets of the capital are lined, three or four, if not more, deep with people out to see the Ylissian carriage pull through the streets. Chrom places a hand over his wound as they travel along the long cobblestoned streets, to the other side of the town, where the Plegian castle stands, tall over the rest of the town. They've been here before, riding up on horses and wyverns and pegasi, or walking along to the glares of the Grimleal. But the air in Plegia has changed. They're not welcomed with open arms, exactly, but a strange curiosity. Robin peers out the window, and sees people that look just like her- white hair, and tan skin, and the same inquisitive smirk that she knows is often on her face.

The castle looms out in the distance, and Robin turns her attention forward again. With his free hand, Chrom takes her hand in an act of solitude. She smiles, her eyes focused on the stone palace that commands attention on the skyline. The crowds are heavier towards the palace, and here, the people are more patriotic. They cheer as the carriage draws past, and Robin manages to wave out the window despite herself. The iron gates to the castle swing open, and the crowd disappears. The carriage halts, and the driver hops out, opening the door for Robin and Chrom.

She steps out first, wrapping her cloak around her tighter. She's abandoned the rest of her outfit in favour of something Maribelle described as 'more suitable for court', but little did Maribelle know that Robin had already put the infamous coat in the carriage. Her black dress under it is tight, but thankfully the bulk of the coat keeps her warm. Chrom steps out behind her, taking her hand in his once more. A few maids appear from the castle, and lead the Ylissian royals inside.

The king of Plegia stands in the lobby, arms open wide as a symbol of welcoming. His clothes are similar to those of the Plegian Dark Mages, except his cape is longer, dusting the floor as he walks forwards. The crown that used to rest upon Validar's head is now perched on his own, though his face is kinder. He's older too, by at least ten years, if not more.

"Welcome, Ylissians," he says, his accent thick and his words like honey.

"Thank you," Chrom says, taking a half step forward. Technically, according to old Ylissian laws of court, Robin should always stay at least one step but never more than three steps behind Chrom, but she had never paid heed to any of the rules laid out for her. "It's good to meet you at last. I know you've been ruling here for a while, but I haven't heard ill of Plegia in that time, so I assume you're doing a good job."

"Thank you. I aim to please my people and do what's best for the country. It's just wonderful to have you here with us, Chrom, exalt of Ylisse. My name is Campari."

"I remember you," Chrom says, narrowing his eyes. "You're the one who killed Emmeryn."

"Alas, I knew you'd remember. Truthfully, I only served Gangrel. I formally resigned after he was killed. I have no desire to worship Grima, so I'm turning Plegia into a democracy. I'm aware that aside from the Grimleal, there are very few supporters of the fell dragon remaining. Most Plegians were glad to see the back of Validar."

"You did still take part in the war, though. You killed our Exalt."

"And you killed Validar," Campari states blandly. "We each have sins to atone for, Lord Exalt. May I ask, who is this woman you bring with you?"

"Ah. This is my wife, Robin."

"A Plegian name? A Plegian girl, married to the king of Ylisse?"

"Yes," Robin says, putting her hands in her pockets to stop herself from fidgeting. "I'm from Plegia, although I moved to Ylisse a good few years ago now."

"Ah, you're _that_ Robin. Validar's daughter."

"Yes. That I am."

"Sorry for your loss. Validar was a good man."

"The world will be better without him. I'm not sorry anymore. I'm the one who killed him."

"Well! Either way, we welcome you both to Plegia. Time for a tour, I think. Come, come. There is a lot of this castle to show."

* * *

By the time that Chrom and Robin sit down for dinner, it's clear that the Plegians aren't entirely happy with their presence. They are almost hostile, and Robin feels increasingly uncomfortable by the minute. They sit side by side at the dinner table, surrounded by only the most important of guests. Officials from the new government Campari is trying to set up are in attendance, as well as some high-ranking army generals, devoid of their usual armour. Falchion is still tucked by Chrom's side, as Robin's keen eye spots Campari's axe leaning on the other side of the table.

"Everyone, I'd like to propose a toast of prosperity to Lord Chrom, Lady Robin and the halidom of Ylisse," Campari announces, lifting his glass in the direction of the couple. The others mutter a word in Plegian that Robin assumes is an equivalent to 'cheers'. She smiles graciously, and Chrom nods solemnly. Food is brought out immediately after that, and small talk fills the air as they pick at their food.

"That girl looks awfully familiar," one general says, pointing at Robin, who pauses, fork halfway into her mouth.

"Excuse me?"

"You look familiar. You're Plegian, right? I mean, with that hair and skin, you can't not be!"

"Yes, I am," she confirms, and puts her food in her mouth as an excuse not to answer anymore.

"In fact, Lady Robin is more Plegian than you or I, good sir. She's of royal blood! Validar's daughter, you know the one that went missing seven years ago and turned up later in Ylisse as their tactician?"

"Yes! I remember now. So, you should be our queen and not Campari?"

"I mean… technically, yes. But I'd rather he was king in my stead. I have amnesia, you see, and remember very little about my childhood in Plegia. I have more memories, more happy memories, at least, of Ylisse, and enjoy ruling there. It feels more like home than Plegia does," Robin recites, a speech she's had prepared for a while in case this moment came to fruition.

"Yes, but if the bloodline is in you and your children…" another official starts, and Robin shrinks back in her chair.

"Lucina has the mark of the exalt, so she'll be ruler of Ylisse when I'm gone," Chrom says, and Robin breathes deeply.

"Do you have any other children?" Campari asks.

"No," Robin answers quickly. It's true, to an extent. Currently, there are no more children of theirs from this timeline. Older Lucina is dear knows where, although she will return some day. And they haven't heard from Morgan, so he could be dead for all they know. Robin doesn't like the think about this, but it's constantly present in her mind as a possibility.

"That's a shame. I'll make sure your name is recorded however, so that if you do ever have more children they'll be listed as heirs," the woman on Campari's left hand side says, pushing her glasses up.

"That's… very considerate of you."

"Your birth line is pure if you're truly Validar's daughter. You would have the mark of Grima, as would your children."

"I used to, but since Grima's death, it's gone," Robin says, increasingly more uncomfortable as this conversation drags on.

"But my dear, Grima's not dead! He lives on!"

"No, that's not possible. We killed him. Or, Robin did," Chrom confirms.

"No, no. He's died before, once, over a thousand years ago, and he was reborn shortly after, apparently."

"That's not possible."

"I said we weren't to talk about Grima at the dinner table! Not everyone here is involved with the Grimleal! Pardon us, Lord Exalt," Campari excuses, but Robin gets up from her seat.

"I don't feel well."

"Robin?" Chrom says, grabbing her hand.

"Finish your dinner, it's okay. I'll go lie down." He lets go, and she walks away, pushing the heavy doors open and making a point of stomping out of the room.

"See what you've done? You've scared off the Exalt's wife!" Campari says, glaring at the woman beside him.

"That's your wife?" The woman says, directing her question at Chrom.

"Yes. We've been married for five years."

"Well, that certainly says a lot about you. You must have a taste for vessels of Grima. She's going to become the undoing of Ylisse one day."

"What's your name?" Chrom demands, setting his knife and fork of the plate.

"Oh, don't you remember me? Hair dye really must change your appearance. I'm Aversa, Robin's dear adopted sister!"

* * *

Chrom attends the concert solo, and for once, he doesn't have to talk. In fact, silence is expected, as the Plegian National Orchestra plays their way through symphonies that Chrom has never heard before. He wasn't particularly a connoisseur of music, and neither was Robin, and his mind drifts to how Maribelle would've enjoyed it more. There's a solo violinist, who Chrom almost swears is Brady- the ginger hair gives it away- but he's not sure if Maribelle's future son has any connections with Plegia.

He shakes hands with the officials he met at dinner, who he will meet with in the morning for official peace talks. He thinks that he will be glad to leave Plegia, as just being here is causing Robin an unimaginable amount of stress. The comments about their children being heirs to the throne made him sick- another country was practically threatening to take their children away from them before they were even born.

A servant leads Chrom up the grand staircase to the room where he and Robin are staying, and leaves as Chrom opens the door. Robin is lying on the bed, spread out with a book in her hand. She looks over to him, and scrambles to sit up straight, closing the cover of her book. He sits beside her, one hand supporting his weight and the other reaching out for her face.

"How did it go?" She asks, and he struggles to find the right words.

"There wasn't much talking after you left. I'm definitely going to make sure this is brought up tomorrow at the meeting. I'm not having our children booked to be royals of a country that wants to use them to resurrect a dragon!"

"I think Aversa was bluffing," Robin says, her eyebrows knitting together in thought. "There would be some record in the Ylissian history books about the dragon dying before as well. That's hardly going to be just in Plegian lore."

"Wait, you knew that was Aversa?"

"What, you didn't? She just changed her hair colour. And she has glasses now. Her facial expressions, especially that sneer, are exactly the same."

"Oh. I guess you have more of an eye for that sort of thing."

"I think it's just because I'm so paranoid," Robin admits, looking down at her hands, tied in knots.

"Well, maybe your paranoia is good in this situation. I mean, you were right about them bringing up you being the rightful queen."

"At least I made my feelings clear. I'm not taking part in anything to do with the way this country is run."

"Campari said it was going to become a democracy," Chrom comments.

"I think he's got the right idea. I may not completely trust him, but as long as he starts Plegia back on the right track, I think they could prove a valuable ally. And if we form an official alliance with Olivia and Flavia, which I'm sure will be easy, we'll have allies on either side of us."

"We need as many allies as possible, in case any situations arise again like with Valm."

"It was strange, but really, Walhart was trying to do the right thing. He just went about it the wrong way."

"Plegia will change, right?" Chrom says after a long pause.

"They have to. The can no longer be a theocracy. Their god is dead."

* * *

Campari talks a lot, Chrom thinks, as he walks side by side with him to the war chamber, now repurposed as a debate chamber. This is where they'll hold the new government, once ambassadors have been elected. For now, it still only holds a long table that many officials are already seated around. Chrom sits down at the head, with Campari at the other. Ideally, he'd have other members of his own council with him- Sumia, Maribelle and surprisingly Vaike are all good at bartering and getting their own way. But for now, he has to do this alone, as his sister and father would've before him.

"Plegia and Ylisse have had a troubled history," Campari begins slowly, trying to pick his words as carefully as possible. "We've been at war for many years, since Chrom's father's time. His sister, Emmeryn, and many of his comrades, have lost their lives because of us, and Validar and many of our soldiers have lost their lives because of Ylisse. I want the next generation, the one of Chrom's children, to be one where they do not know war with their neighbours, where they can grow up in peace."

"I agree," Chrom says. "I want Plegian children to grow up without knowing war, without the troubles that it brings. That's why I've travelled here to Plegia. To sign a peace document, that I hope the rest of you will sign it and agree to my terms."

"Let us discuss those terms then," Aversa drawls, tapping her long nails against the table. Clearly, she will be a big player in the new Plegian politics, Chrom thinks.

"I want freedom of movement for both of our people. There will be no checks on the border, but the border guard will remain to ensure that no fighting breaks out, and no guerilla attacks are performed by either country," Chrom states, and the room nods it's approval.

"That sounds like a grand idea," Campari said. "I for one want free trade. It's important that we can share resources and import and export what we want."

"I agree."

"Good, good. Now, Lord Exalt, anything else pressing? Of course, these are the main things we have to agree on, but other things may be discussed."

"I want my children to be forgotten about. I don't want them, or my wife, to have to bear the weight of the Plegian throne. They won't grow up knowing the ins and outs of Plegian culture, and it would be ill fitting for foreigners to have full reign of the throne, don't you think?" Chrom asks, picking his words cleverly. "My daughter will be Ylisse's future Exalt, and if we have more children, they will be the general of the army, as I was as a second child. That is how we in House Ylisse operate. If my children choose to marry into the Plegian royal family, that is a completely different matter, and they are free to do so if that is what they wish. The same goes for their children."

"…As you wish. We know that you and Lady Robin seem to feel quite passionately on this matter, so we will not push it further," Campari says with a smile, knowing better than to insist on keeping the bloodline pure."

"Lord Chrom? A question, if I may," Aversa asks, baring her teeth. "Do you not have three children?"

"No, just one. Lucina."

"I heard of a Lucina that was in Nohr, a country far off from here. She matches the description of your Lucina quite well- blue hair, and all."

"My daughter is four years old, and in Ylisstol with my sister," Chrom says defensively.

"And there was a member of your army named Morgan who wore a cloak similar to Robin's! Was he not your child?"

"It is true that there was a child; he was maybe fourteen, at the oldest, named Morgan. He admired Robin a great deal, and trained to be a tactician to follow in her footsteps. She helped him to make a cloak like hers. We met Morgan when we were twenty-one, so Robin would've had to be seven when she gave birth to him. He is not my child," Chrom reasons, lying through his teeth.

"He makes a fair point," Campari says, hushing Aversa's protests. "Lady Robin is far too young to have a child in his teens. You must calm yourself, Aversa."

"Is that everything then?" Chrom asks, hurriedly changing the topic.

"I think that will do. I hereby declare Plegia at peace, and allies with the mighty halidom of Ylisse. All in favour say 'ay'!"

A chorus rings around the room, sealing the deal. Aversa's mouth remains closed, a tight line a reminder of her hatred for her sister and her husband. She rolls her eyes as Campari signs the official document, Chrom scribbling his name after. As the Exalt leaves the room, going back in search of his wife, she stops him.

"You will not get away with this," she hisses, her voice venomous. "I will ensure that your and Robin pay for screwing with Plegia like this!"

"We haven't done anything wrong-"

"The pieces are already in place. You won't know what hit you." She grins, each pearly tooth on show, before pivoting on her toes away from Chrom. He pauses for a moment, dazed and confused, before leaving to report to Robin. This was something she deserved to hear.


	11. Contract

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Chrom thinks about the world in the middle of the night.

Time passes quickly after Robin and Chrom leave Plegia, with a peace treaty and any hope of the two countries not warring again still completely up in the air. The seasons change much quicker than Robin would like, and suddenly she can count nine months on her fingers.

It's happening too quickly for her, and she pretends that she has another month (or nine) still to go. Chrom picks up on behaviour and makes a point of always telling her she'll be okay, she looks beautiful, she's doing an excellent job. What she's doing an excellent job at she has no idea, but his little words of encouragement help her through the day. Maribelle does the same, but in a more patronizing tone, although the queen appreciates her words just as much. Lissa's a big help too, and somehow Robin and her sister-in-law manage to build a new crib for the new baby in a matter of hours.

Robin always thought it strange how well the two got on. Technically speaking, they should've hated each other. They are polar opposites. Robin is calm and levelheaded, smart when she needs to be, sarcastic, sassy, and yet kind. Lissa is bouncy and full of energy, a risk taker, bubbly, and empathetic, perhaps overly so. She and her brother are alike in so many ways, yet the younger princess hated this comparison being drawn. Somehow, the two made a perfect team- two royal females who could probably run the country just as well without Chrom there.

"It's nearly time, right?" Lissa asks excitedly, folding a sheet over a mattress while Robin hands a mobile from the ceiling.

"Mhm. Only a few days to go, probably."

"You don't sound so keen!"

"Lissa, you know what childbirth is like. It's not a fun and exciting experience, to say the least."

"Okay," Lissa says, dragging her vowels out while she thinks of some comeback to Robin's blindingly true statement. "Okay, but you're going to have a new baby! A new child, something that you're bringing into the world!"

"Through hours and hours of pain and suffering," Robin states melodramatically. "I appreciate your sentiment, Lissa, but…"

"You're scared, aren't you?" Lissa asks, her voice suddenly soft and all enthusiasm void. "You're scared of what will happen next. Chrom told me about Plegia, and I've heard your discussions. Even Maribelle's worried…"

"Yeah, I guess," Robin answers vaguely, stepping away from the mobile to admire her handy work. It's a sparkling array of stars and moons and planets, orbiting a bigger sphere in the middle Robin supposed was the sun.

"I understand. But honestly, don't we have the best army on the continent of Ylisse? We'll beat back any Plegians who try to steal baby… uh, baby…?"

"Morgan," Robin laughs, gliding past Lissa to lift a blanket set on her bedside cabinet. She tosses it absent-mindedly into the crib, landing with a soft plop. She collapses onto the bed, lying back with her head near the pillows. Lissa follows suit, giggling all the while.

"We'll beat back any Plegians who try to steal baby Morgan!" She says with an air of finality. "We have Regna Ferox on our side too," she points out smugly.

"I don't the Plegians are stupid enough to come and steal the House of Ylisse's new born child."

"They better not!"

"Or what, they'll have to deal with you?" Robin snorts, and Lissa glares at her half heartedly.

"Yeah! You've seen what I can do with an axe."

"I won't deny that," Robin says, lifting her hands in surrender. The blonde haired girl is silent for a moment in reflection, staring at the ceiling above her.

"I hope baby Morgan arrives soon."

"Me too, Lissa. Me too."

* * *

As per Robin's wishes, she wakes up in the middle of the night, just over twenty-four hours later. It starts with a dull pain, and she has to bite down hard to the covers to stop herself from crying out in pain. Once the contraction has subsided, she shakes Chrom awake, and he opens his eyes, staring blearily into the darkness.

"Huh? Robin? What's wrong?" He asks, rubbing sleep from his eyes. They're barely open, so she continues to shake him, ever so gently, to keep him from falling asleep.

"The baby's on it's way," she mumbles, almost ashamed.

"What? Really? Now?" He questions, suddenly fully awake and responsive.

"Yes, really, now," she answers, gripping the blankets with fear.

"Okay. Okay! Shall I get Miriel to come here? Or are you okay to walk down to her office while I get someone to wake her?"

"I can walk. I'd rather not give birth here, no offence."

"None taken. I'll get someone to wake her and walk you down."

"I can walk myself, you wake her!"

"I don't think it's appropriate for me to be wandering around waking people up at night, especially women."

"Chrom, it's practically an emergency! Just go!" She hauls herself out of bed at this, rubbing her back with one hand and pushing herself up with the other. She grabs her cloak from the door, before thinking better of it and lifting a dressing gown she had never worn before to wrap around herself. It fits the same way, so is comfortable, and she leaves the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Chrom sits frozen in shock for a few seconds after she left, before jumping out of bed and dressing himself in casual clothes in barely a minute flat. It's still dark, the clock on the wall reading only a few minutes past four. The dawn would come in a few hours, but for now, candlelight would help him navigate himself around the castle. Luckily for him, as their physician, Miriel isn't located too far away, and is already sitting upright when he knocks on her door.

"Come in, Lord Chrom," she sighs, and he can hear a tome thud shut.

"Miriel," he says, out of breath even from the short walk.

"Robin?" She asks, and he nods. "Give me a few minutes to ready myself, and tell Robin to hang on if she can. Of course, that's not always not possible, but…"

"She's in your office," he explains, before escaping, running down the stairs to Miriel's tiny room where his wife waited for him.

He's expecting to see her lying down, but she's pacing instead, up and down the length of the room. His presence doesn't seem to disturb her in any way- she doesn't lift her head an inch. Her breathing is calm, he notes, and she's doing a good job of managing to breathe in and out in time. Suddenly, she stops, grasping onto the wall, one hand flying to her stomach. Chrom rushes to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder and guiding her towards the bed. She doesn't say a word, but sits anyway, stripping the dressing gown off and tossing it carelessly on the stone floor.

Miriel enters the room, and from her entrance, Chrom can tell that half the castle knows what's going on. She makes no attempt to be quiet, instead shoving the door and slamming it closed. The mage is dressed now, in her usual black robes that Chrom knows have seen more blood than some of the fiercest warriors in the army. She bustles past him, making a beeline for the shelf behind her desk and grabbing vials of liquid Chrom had never set eyes upon in his life.

"Lord Chrom, make your self useful," she commands absentmindedly, rummaging through her drawers and pulling out a needle.

"Yes?"

"Leave. I know you, and I know you mean well, but you'll just get in the road here. Go locate Maribelle, or Lissa. Both of them will be invaluable for Robin when she delivers."

"But I'm the baby's father. I deserve to be here! Robin _needs_ me."

"All you're going to do is hold her hand while she does all the work. Now, leave. I'll call you back in as soon as the baby is born."

"But-"

"Chrom, listen to her," Robin says, cutting his sentence short. Her voice tells of her exhaustion, and upon listening to her plea, Chrom excuses himself to wander in the corridor until the birth of his child.

As he closes the door behind him, he realises he isn't alone in the corridor. A ginger haired thief stands across from him, arms folded and one eyebrow raised. He looks half asleep, so Chrom doesn't dignify his appearance with any comment. Instead, he takes up what his wife was doing mere minutes ago- pacing. Luckily for him, the corridor Miriel's office is located in is long, so he walks up and down a few times before Gaius decides to open his mouth.

"You look like you're gonna shit your pants, Blue."

"You put it so eloquently," Chrom says, responding with a glare.

"I'm just bein' honest. But I suppose the birth of your child is a big deal. Especially when they're a royal. I hated the waitin' when our Brady was born."

"I wasn't this nervous when Lucina was born. In fact, I was perfectly calm. But this time, I am worried."

"What's so different this time?" Gaius asks, pushing himself off the wall to realign himself with the bricks.

"I think after all that happened, I'm just worried about Robin. She's had a hard time. She didn't even want the baby," Chrom admits with a laugh. "It just wasn't the right timing for her."

An uncomfortable silence falls between the two men, and Chrom slowly comes to a stop, listening intently for any sign of what's happening, but the rain pouring down outside blocks out any hope he has of hearing the conversations between Miriel and Robin. So he stands by Gaius, two world-weary men who would rather be in bed at this time of the morning.

"What are you doing out here anyway? Do you often stand in the corridors at night?"

"No way. Apart from tonight, I'm always asleep beside my missus. Nah, she told me to stand guard. Said that she couldn't since she had to go find something…. Or something. I wasn't really listening, I was still half asleep," Gaius shrugs, staring down the corridor in the hopes that Maribelle would appear.

"I wonder where she is…"

"Something about head of security."

"She's probably trying to help. Her and Robin have become close since her appointment as Robin's retainer."

"That's good for Maribelle. She's always been stuck up and-"

"I can hear you, darling!" Maribelle sings, her heels clicking on the concrete as she swans towards Chrom and Gaius, healing staff in hands.

"You know I don't mean that, twinkles."

"I know you do, but regardless. How's everything going? Why are you out here? I assumed the exalt would be allowed to stay in the room while his wife is giving birth," She asks, firing multiple questions.

"I got kicked out. Miriel said I'd be in the road," he answered with a shrug.

"Well, she's probably right. You never were the best at being in the right place at the right time, were you? And gods, you are one to panic in a situation like this."

"Thanks, Maribelle."

"Anyway, I'm here to help. There should be more than one medic on hand at events like this, especially when it's the _queen_ who's giving birth. Your sister is on her way too," Maribelle notes.

"Wait, you can be in there, but I can't?"

"Chrom, dear, do you have any idea how dangerous giving birth is? If Robin was living out in the city, without an expert healer like Miriel on hand, her chances could be slim. All those germs, you know? But here she is, and she'll be fine. Now, if you'll excuse me…"

Maribelle glides past Chrom and Gaius, knocking briefly on the door with her staff before opening it and sliding through the gap. In the few seconds that the door is open, Robin's heavy breathing escape through the door, and Chrom rushes towards the gap before Maribelle shuts it in his face. He takes a few steps back.

"She'll be fine," Gaius reassures, trying his best to comfort the exalt.

* * *

Lissa arrives half an hour later, clothes messy and hair down around her shoulders. She holds her healing staff in one hand and stifles a yawn with the other. Her eyes are barely open, but she manages a wave of recognition to her brother. A few more people have wandered down the corridor since Maribelle disappeared into the room, barely passing a glance at Chrom and Gaius. Guards are on duty at all times of the day, but clearly the ones on at night pay little attention to what is going on.

"Good evening, Lissa," Chrom greets.

"Hey," she mumbles. "Is Robin doing okay?"

"I haven't heard that she's not, so I'll say yes for now."

"Great."

She's clearly still mostly asleep- Lissa never did like her sleep being disturbed. Chrom lets her go, and she wanders into the room where Robin lies. This time, Chrom makes no attempt to move towards the door, knowing it'll just be closed to him once again. Instead, he settles back against the cold stone wall, resting his back. Gaius has nodded off, he notes, but makes no attempt to wake the man up.

The rain has eased up a lot, barely a drizzle now. Chrom watches the water droplets run down the outside of the window, the wind still howling in the castle grounds, causing dead leaves to be whipped around. The castle is practically still now, he notices, rubbing his face to wake himself up more. He stares at the door. Last time, Robin's labour was over quickly, but it seemed to be taking longer this time. He was growing impatient. When would his new child come into the world?

Maribelle leaves the room as Chrom hears the clock strike seven. He moves to greet her, and Gaius wakes up, alerted by the presence of his wife. She shuts the door behind her gently, before turning to the two men.

"It'll be a few minutes still. She's almost there," she smiles; weary too from all her work. "I'm going to get food for Robin. She's complaining about being hungry even in the middle of all of this."

"That doesn't surprise me," Chrom laughs. Maribelle nods curtly, taking off at a considerable pace up the corridor.

The sun rises now, peering over the horizon. Its rays reflect off the windows, casting shadows onto the ground. Chrom stares, entranced. It'll only be a matter of time, Maribelle said. That means his baby will be here soon. No, not his. Theirs. He thinks of Lucina, asleep upstairs, still, content. His mind wanders to the other Lucina, all grown up, travelling somewhere with Inigo and Owain and some other child that she reported was Cordelia's offspring, although how that came about he would never know. And he remembers Morgan, the child no one understood a thing about, that appeared and disappeared without any explanation.

The wooden door swings open with a bang, grabbing Chrom out of his thoughts and back into the present. Miriel stands in front of him, arms folded, hat long discarded. He looks up at her, eyes wide, and pushes himself off the wall. Her mouth curves into a smile. She takes a step to the side, and Chrom wills himself forward.

"Would you like to meet your son?"

He practically runs past her, into the room and towards where Robin lay. Her hair is slightly sticking to her face, and a blanket is wrapped around her. In her arms, in a tiny bundle, lies a baby, eyes tightly shut, hands in fists. A tuft of blue hair sticks out from under the blanket, and Chrom gasps. Robin lifts the baby up towards him, and he gently takes it from her arms. The baby squirms a little, and he smiles, first towards him, and then towards Robin.

"You did it," he breathes, softly, gently.

"That I did," she smiles, not quite sure how to react in such a situation.

"…Morgan," he says, certainly, staring down into the baby boy's face.

"Baby Morgan," she agrees, smiling weakly towards him.

"Prince Morgan," he nods, taking her hand. "Of _Ylisse._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comes back a month late with a chapter,,,,,, anyway i love all my readers and im sorry


	12. Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Robin receives more surprises than she wanted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> she wanted none. no surprises.

One long week has passed since Morgan was baby, and Robin is panicking. Although the baby is seemingly healthy, there's something off about him. Robin has kept him close to her at all times- Chrom has insisted she takes it easy, even though she's bored out of her skull just wandering around the palace. Morgan doesn't cry a lot, only when he needs feeding. He sleeps soundly at night and during the day. But not once has he opened his eyes- they've remained tightly shut since he was born.

"Chrom, are you not worried about this?" Robin asks, gazing at the baby in her arms as he feeds.

"I think it's fairly normal."

"I don't think it is," she sighs, exasperation. "I don't know what we're supposed to do. I have no idea how you magically make your child's eyes open. We didn't have this problem with Lucina!"

"I know we didn't, but still. I don't think there's anything we can do." He moves towards where Robin sits and kneels down in front of her. "If you're worried, we can ask Miriel or someone. We can even try to track down an outside physician, if that would put your mind at ease." Robin shakes her head.

"No… no. I don't think there's anything we can do. Miriel gave him a check up yesterday, and she said that he's perfectly healthy. His eyes are fine. It's just a case of waiting."

"If you're sure…"

"There's one other thing," Robin starts, hesitating to tell her husband what she noticed. "He has no brand."

"It doesn't always appear right away," he smiles, rubbing her lower arm to comfort her. "Emm's didn't appear until she was six or so. Lissa still doesn't have one."

"You were born with yours, though."

"That may be true, but it's nothing to worry about. It'll appear in time. You're worrying about such small matters."

"Thanks for trying to comfort me," Robin smiles, and Chrom stands up to kiss her on the forehead.

"Don't forget that I love you, and I want only the best for you, okay?"

"How could I forget?" She laughs. "Do you not have somewhere to be this morning?"

"Yeah," he sighs, admitting defeat. "Another meeting. But I'll be free from late afternoon for once, as long as nothing drastic happens."

"That's good. We can have dinner as a family for once."

"I'll be there, don't worry."

* * *

Packages to the palace are rare. Most things have to go through layers and layers of security checks before they make it inside the castle walls. And that's why the large grey box that appeared just inside the front gates of the palace shocks everyone into silence. None of the servants want to go near it, in fear of what the box might do. Passing by at the time, Sumia notices the commotion, and in a moment of fearlessness, lifts the box, carrying it towards her own cottage.

It is heavily taped, as if it came from far away. Sumia cuts through it with a knife, with little care for the insides. It's addressed to Chrom and Robin, but the stamp on the top tells her it's from Plegia, so it's her duty to check it's not dangerous. Anything from Plegia used to be considered a threat, until the fall of their kingdom only a few years ago. For a while, everything was peaceful, but a couple of months ago, Chrom gave the order to treat any incoming goods as suspicious until proven otherwise.

Through layers of paper packaging, Sumia finds a baby blanket- knitted, and black, with the symbol of House Ylisse woven in through the holes. At the bottom of the box is a baby grow, a deep purple, which looks almost the perfect size for the new royal baby. Sumia folds the items back up. The box itself isn't suspicious, she decides, after a quick examination. There's no card that she can see, either inside or outside. She lifts the box, carrying it back inside the palace. Chrom and Robin will still be having breakfast at this time of the morning, she reckons, and when she arrives at the dining room, she's right. She knocks meekly on the door, and hears a clear 'come in!' from Chrom.

"Sorry to disturb you so early in the morning," she apologises, almost tripping over her own feet as she walks towards the table.

"No bother," Chrom says, idly waving a hand.

"This was at the gate for you. I hope you don't mind, but I opened it, considering it's from Plegia…"

Robin's head snaps around from Sumia to Chrom in an instant, and even though she can't see her face, the Pegasus Knight can picture her expression. Robin glances down at Morgan, asleep in her arms, and subconsciously pulls the child closer to her chest. Even Lucina notices, eyes frantically snapping between both of her parents and Sumia, hovering by the table, still holding the box.

"What's in it?" Chrom asks slowly.

"I can only guess it was supposed to be a baby gift," Sumia answers, opening the flaps on the top. "There was this blanket," she says, lifting it out and passing it across to Chrom, who unfolds it. "And this baby grow. There was no card, so I don't know exactly who it came from."

"Aversa," Robin sighs. "My delightful sister. It wouldn't be anyone but her. She was always an expert in intimidation."

"Are you sure it was her? I mean, it could've been any number of Plegian officials," Chrom asks, running a hand absentmindedly across the brand on the blanket.

"This is her style. She threatened you, did she not? We know the Plegians want Morgan, and this is a way of them reminding us that they remember. That they've heard of the birth. Gods, Chrom, this would even fit him perfectly! It's like they know exactly."

"Um, if I may, I can offer to take them away?" Sumia suggests. "If you want me to dispose of them, I can."

"Burn them," Chrom says bitterly.

"That's unnecessary," Robin says, shaking her head. "Is there somewhere you could store them? That way we can pretend we used them. I don't want to look at them, so this would be a huge help, Sumia."

"Of course! I can put them in a cupboard, and I'm sure we'll all have forgotten about them in no time at all." She gathers them up, and puts them in the box, balancing it against her hip. "I'm sorry for disturbing you! Especially with something like this."

"No, thank you, Sumia." Robin's voice is gentle, motherly. "We know what we're dealing with a little better now."

* * *

Both Chrom and Robin are present when all hell breaks loose in Ylisse's palace. It happens early in the morning, when neither of them are truly awake enough to comprehend. Breakfast is usually a quiet affair- somehow, Lissa managed to sort everyone into a routine to eat at different times, since with young children each family needs time alone. But this morning it's different- Lissa, Ricken and Owain join Chrom's family for the first meal of the day.

Lissa holds baby Morgan, now eleven days old, not that she's counting. Robin is weary, and who can blame her? So acting the part of the proud aunt, Lissa rocks the baby, who, for once, refuses to sleep. He gurgles constantly while Robin drinks coffee and Chrom butters toast for Lucina, who is also half asleep. Lissa coos to the baby, trying her best to keep him calm. But he's crying now, and Robin looks up from her coffee.

"That's strange," she comments, setting the mug of hot liquid on the table.

"What's strange?" Lissa asks, panicked by the tacticians sudden change in demeanor.

"He doesn't usually cry like this. In fact, he only cries when he's hungry, and I fed him not ten minutes ago…"

"Lucina was different, don't forget. She cried constantly," Chrom reminds gently, grabbing Robin's sleeve as she crosses the room.

"And what a nuisance that was," she grumbles. "Morgan may be strange, but at least he's quiet."

Robin moves the blanket aside to get a good look at his face, still letting Lissa cradle the baby. His eyes are still tightly shut. Robin places a hand against his forehead, and withdraws it quickly after not sensing anything out of the ordinary in his temperature. His wails continue, and Robin's brow crinkles. She holds her arms out, and Lissa relinquishes control of the child to his mother. Slowly, once in Robin's arms, Morgan's eyes slowly begin to open. Robin's jaw goes slack, as the baby peers up at her through dark, dark eyes.

"Chrom."

"Yes?"

"Come here a second."

She can barely move. Chrom leaves Lucina with her toast, hauling himself out of his seat and towards his wife. He gazes into the bundle of blankets over Robin's shoulder, a small gasp escaping from his mouth at the sight. The irises of Morgan's eyes are black, or at least a very dark brown, completely different from Robin's grey or Chrom's grey. They share a fearful look, and Lissa scampers over too to take a glance at the baby.

"Is there anyone in your family that has eyes like this?" Chrom asks, scooping the baby out of Robin's arms while she collapses into a chair.

"Hell if I know. There could be hundreds- but put it this way- Validar's eyes were definitely not as dark as this."

"It's fine. No problem. He's still our child. They might change over time- Lissa's eyes used to be a different colour, didn't they?" Chrom says, nursing the baby. Panic is clear in his voice as he turns to Lissa, who nods fearfully in response.

"See if this… if this is something to do with the Plegians…" Robin starts, trailing off angrily. She glances over at Lucina, who has dropped her toast, and is looking at her parents, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Is there something wrong with Morgan?" She asks, her voice quiet, and both Robin and Chrom's hearts break into a million tiny pieces. Robin rushes over to comfort her daughter, kneeling beside her chair.

"No, no. His eyes are a different colour to yours and daddy's and mine, but that's nothing to worry about, really. Look, his hair is the same as yours!"

"Is he sick?" She asks, a small hand coming up to her face to wipe the tears that have escaped.

"Miriel says he's fine, and we believe her, don't we?" Robin reassures, herself just as much as Lucina. The girl nods, and Robin smiles, taking her daughter's hands within her own.

"We'll keep an eye on Morgan in case anything happens, but he'll be fine," Chrom interjects, and Lucina smiles, finally at ease.

"Okay."

Robin crosses back to Chrom, taking Morgan into her arms once again. She balances the baby against her hip as she downs the last of her coffee, now at a drinkable temperature. While it's true that there is nothing outwardly wrong with Morgan, Robin's mind can't help but wander to Plegia. They wanted Morgan for themselves; a trade for letting Robin go as the rightful queen. Maybe Morgan could rule them, and maybe he would be a good ruler. But she, and by extension Chrom, would be damned if they let their child be taken by their closest neighbours.

* * *

"Dark eyes are common in Plegia, Robin. Perhaps your mother had them?" Maribelle informs, trying her best to comfort the despairing queen.

"It's likely, I know. I'm sorry for all this panicking," Robin laughs, holding her head in her hands. Chrom has taken both Lucina and Robin out into the garden, so that she can get her head around what has happened. "The whole thing has thrown me for a loop, is all."

"I don't blame you. Holding office like this and having a child… and with the whole debacle with Plegia… no wonder you're stressed." Maribelle hands Robin a china teacup, chamomile tea held inside. Robin's face relaxes at the sight of the tea, and gratefully takes it from her friend.

"Everything will work out," Robin says, trying to convince herself just as much as Maribelle.

"Of course. But Robin, don't forget, if anything is getting you down, you have a huge support network of people who love you and will help you. Come to me first, though. I _should_ be your first port of call," she jokes, although her face is serious.

"I wonder how Lucina is doing. I mean Lucina from the other timeline," Robin clarifies. "She left a good few months ago. She should be settling in, where ever she is."

"She didn't tell you? Her own parents?"

"No," Robin sighs. "It's some kind of secret. But her and Inigo are happy. They never write, but they said they'd come home some time. I guess… I guess that we aren't _really_ their parents. Maybe we shouldn't be so attached to them."

"Nonsense!" Maribelle scolds. "I'm just as attached to older Brady as I am to younger Brady. He's doing really well at his violin recitals. He composes his own music, did you know?"

"You tell me all the time," Robin laughs, sipping at her tea. "I wish I kept in contact with my kids from the future. You're practically the only one who still ever speaks. I haven't heard from Yarne in forever, and Owain is away with Lucina and Inigo and some other girl named Severa."

"Severa?"

"Yeah. I don't know who she is- I never met her."

"That was a name Cordelia always admired," Maribelle sighs, pouring herself another cup of tea.

"I was told she was Cordelia's daughter, but I have no idea how that works. Cordelia died, and she was with Sumia, as far as I'm aware."

"Maybe things were different in that timeline? I mean, things were changed in this timeline, like you destroying that fleet of Valmese ships, and Basilio surviving. Perhaps in that timeline, Cordelia didn't die?"

"And who would she have married?" Robin asks, genuine curiosity spiked.

"Oh, I don't know. That's not really important. Maybe we'll meet her one day. That way we can find out."

"Perhaps. If they ever return, I hope they bring Severa with them."

Maribelle sighs contentedly, imagining this happy future that Robin just can't see, no matter how hard she tries. The thought is there, but won't materialize. She misses Lucina, no doubt about it, but can't see her returning. She's almost the same age as herself and Chrom, but their lives couldn't be more different if they tried. Lucina is free to do whatever she liked, and after the hell she had seen in her previous life, no one would argue that she didn't deserve it.

"You should invite Brady to play in the castle some time," Robin suggested, and Maribelle's eyes lit up. "It'd be a nice change, and I'm sure Chrom would love to hear him play."

"Robin, I just had the most wonderful idea! I can invite Brady, but we can ask him about Morgan! Perhaps he knows something of the child. They did travel back in time together, after all."

"That's… a good idea," Robin says hesitantly. If she could've contacted Lucina, a letter would've been sent to the wayward princess a long time ago. But Brady is the closest connection she has to that timeline. "Yes. Invite him."

"I'll send a letter right away," Maribelle announces, setting her seat down and straightening her capelet. "If I send it now, he should be here in a few days. I'll tell him it's a royal summons." The healer practically squeaks with excitement, and scurries out of the room, leaving Robin alone with her thoughts. Brady was within contact, sure, but what of the others? What about Morgan? The child so much younger than the rest, that fought bravely alongside everyone else until the end. Robin missed him so much, and he left without a goodbye, leaving so much unsaid between the mother and his son.

"Hurry back," she whispers after Maribelle, long gone and out of earshot.

* * *

The gates of the palace are always heavily guarded and kept locked night and day. There's a special side entrance for anyone who works in the castle, which the likes of Sumia and Maribelle would use (and Robin, when she snuck out to breathe). It's unusual for anyone to want to come into the grounds of the palace, and even more unusual for someone to succeed in doing so, and through the front gates no less.

Word travels fast throughout the castle. Within moments of the action taking place, word is spread throughout the staff, until finally, a guard reaches Robin, sitting tucked away in the back corner of the library. Morgan is with a nanny, and Chrom is in a meeting, and she's getting an hour of peace to read before all hell breaks loose once again.

"Lady Robin!" The guard practically yells, almost out of breath from running. "Sorry to disturb you!"

"No need for apologies," she says, holding her hand up. Although a crown may be perched on her head for special occasions, she doesn't feel like a queen in any way, and being treated like the royalty she is still confuses her after all this time.

"There's someone at the front gates to speak to you. At the front door, actually. A child. Well, a teenager. Were you expecting guests?"

"Is it Brady? He's not supposed to arrive until tomorrow at the earliest… strange."

"No, not Brady, ma'am. I've never clapped eyes upon him before! His attire looks similar to yours, and he's a dead ringer for Chrom. Another relative of yours?"

In a flash, Robin is on her feet, book quickly discarded, chair toppled. Her face contorts between shock, horror and elation all in a few seconds, and then she takes action. She laughs first, voice mirthful and over joyed. Then she moves, flying past the guard, who stands dumfounded as this outpouring of emotion shown by the girl. She runs down the corridor like a shot, almost overbalancing at the corner. Stairs prove to be a difficulty to her, but she manages to get down three flights without breaking her neck.

The servants milling about in the hallway move from her way as soon as she lands on the bottom step. They scatter, and the queen composes herself, trying not to let her excitement show on her face. She knows who this is, and she hopes, she prays, he has good news. Or any news, in fact. It's been long, _so_ long, since she's seen him last. She flings open the wooden front door, eliciting gasps from some of those watching this strange scene unfold. The guard has caught up with her by this point, and stands dumbfounded at the foot of the stairs.

True to the guard's words, a teenager stands at the bottom of the stairs. He couldn't be more than eighteen, Robin guesses, and her eyes fill up with tears. His blue hair is longer than she remembers, but then again, it's been a long time. He looks older, and her face breaks into a smile noticing that the coat he has always worn is now slightly short on the arms. He's taller than her, too, closer to Chrom's height. The harsh sunlight reflects off the gold decoration on what has always been her favourite garment. She rushes the extra few steps towards him and envelops him in a hug, which throws him slightly off balance. He recovers quickly, and returns her embrace awkwardly.

"Mother?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i said on ffnet that morgan is probably hot now???? Like??? son of chrom and robin??? and he's like near the age chrom was supposed to be at the start of awakening like hot damn boi. (i need to find older morgan art stat)


	13. Symphony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> in which Morgan makes a proposal Robin hates.

Morgan doesn't really know what to do with himself now his rightful parents have taken him in. Castle life isn't something he's really used to, and he ends up sitting in uncomfortable silence at meals. During the day, he seals himself in the library, and often leaves late into the middle of the night. He's been to visit the younger version of himself- a tiny baby who stares up at him with dark eyes. Morgan doesn't really know how to react to the child.

Robin can't understand why he's here. He turned up when he was needed, but since his unexpected arrival, he's barely spoken a word to his parents, who can't help but be concerned about him. Chrom tries to weasel it out of him, but he refuses to speak. Robin asks him where he was, what he was doing; not all at once, so the poor child has time to think. But he doesn't talk about that sort of thing. He's an adult now, and truthfully his parents can't make him do anything, especially considering they're only a few years older than him themselves.

Maribelle marches in when he's drinking tea with Robin one day, neither of them speaking to each other, caught up in reading. Baby Morgan rests in the crook of Robin's arms, peacefully asleep. The healer coughs suggestively, and Robin looks up, noting both her presence and that of a lanky teenager behind her, ginger hair sticking up at odd angles and a violin case slung over his shoulder.

"Brady! How nice to see you," the elder tactician greets, setting her book down on the table. Morgan looks up too, and smiles at the other boy, a good few years his senior, practically the same age as his older sister.

"Nice to see you too, uh, ma'am. It sure has been a while."

"Don't forget your manners, Brady. You are in the presence of the _queen_ , might I remind you?" Maribelle chastises.

"Maribelle, don't worry about it. He doesn't offend me in any way."

"See, ma? I always told you she was chill."

"You sound like your father, which horrifies me," Maribelle sighs, before shaking her head and continuing. "Brady wanted to speak with you concerning Morgan. And I think it may be beneficial for him to sit with you while you speak. I, however, will keep my nose where it belongs."

"For once," Brady mutters, earning a slap on the arm from his mother, who turns sharply on her heel to leave the three alone.

"Tea, Brady?" Robin suggests, gesturing to the pot in the middle of the table. Morgan memorises his page number before closing his book, setting it aside for later. Brady moves for the pot, taking a seat across from Robin.

"Gods, I hope ma hasn't been givin' you too much trouble," Brady apologises, and Robin can only laugh.

"All she does if give me trouble, but it's her job now, which I'm sure you've heard."

"It's all she talks about. Uh, anyway. I was summoned here to talk about Morgan."

"Why does everyone want to talk about me?" The younger boy asks, his eyes clearly portraying the panic inside him.

"Morgan, the version of you that was born in this timeline, only a few weeks ago, is… different. I'm sure you saw that his eyes are dark, completely unlike Chrom's or mine. And… I haven't told your father this yet, but he has the mark of Grima. On his shoulder. I showed Chrom the brand of the exalt, on his foot, but I can't bring myself to tell him about the other. It's unheard of- he shouldn't have it."

"I thought Grima was dead!" Brady exclaims. "I thought we killed him."

"We did. I had the Mark too- on my hand," Robin explains. "But it disappeared- it was gone when I returned. I can't help but think that this is somehow my fault. Morgan, tell me. Do you have the Mark of Grima too?" He nods slowly, guilty.

"It's not your fault," Brady says, stopping the thoughts running through Morgan's head. "This whole this is messed up." He runs a hand through his hair, clearly stressed by this whole situation.

"What do you know about Morgan, Brady? Maribelle reckons you… well, not just you. She reckons you know something that we don't."

"Of course Ma reckons something," he says, rolling his eyes. Morgan gets up from his seat, moving round to Robin, who rubs his arm in a show of comfort. "Well, I'm gonna have to be blunt about this. In the timeline that Lucina and I and everyone come from, Morgan doesn't exist. In our timeline, Chrom was long dead before he ever coulda been born."

"What?" Robin asks, incredulous.

"Ya heard what I said! He's not from the same timeline as us! I have no idea where he does come from but judgin' from his face, he's got some explainin' to do."

"I think you do."

"I'm sorry," Morgan whispers. He's scared, and Robin has no idea how to comfort him. "It's true- I… I have no memory of anyone apart from you. I came from another timeline, where all I knew was destroyed. I knew of no siblings, only a mother, who easily would've laid her life down for me."

"So… in another timeline, Chrom didn't die when he did in Lucina's, and you were born, and _then_ the world fell apart? And we were the only ones that survived?" Robin clarifies, trying to wrap her head around this new idea.

"Something like that. My memories are still hazy. I found Naga once I lost you. I had to travel a long way, but I made it to the Outrealm Gate, where I travelled back in time. And then I met you, in the ruins."

"Gods, Morgan. You've been through a lot," Robin says. She turns to him fully, noticing the tears welling up in his eyes. "Oh, Morgan. Come here." Balancing baby in one arm, she wraps her free arm around the other version of her child, pulling him close to her.

"Sorry, mother."

"Are we done here? Ma says I'm performin' tonight. Gotta warm up for my concerto," Brady interrupts.

"Yes, thank you, Brady. I honestly don't think Morgan would've talked without your help."

"No problem, Robi- I mean, ma'am. My pleasure."

The older boy vacates the room, leaving Robin and both Morgans alone in the room. His sobbing has trailed off, but the tearstains on his face are still obvious. Robin wipes at his face, but he scurries away, not wanting her to be overly affectionate. He moves back across to the other side of the table, lifting his book again.

"Have you really not told father about the Mark?"

"No. I'm terrified of what he'll say. Clearly, that comes from our side of the family, and we've had enough drama with Plegia recently to warrant another fight. As much as I don't like them, he's very overprotective. There was a lot of… threats between us and Plegia."

"So I've heard. I had been living there, for a little while."

"You have? Morgan, we were at _war_ with them for so long! How could you live there?"

"Keep your friends close but your enemies closer?" He suggests, making Robin laugh.

"You better stay safe there. It's worrying that you're willingly living in a country like that."

"It's very interesting. Are you not from there, mother?"

"Unfortunately. I'm not particularly proud of my heritage."

"I think there's more to Plegia than meets the eye," Morgan says.

"I'm going to have to disagree with you," Robin replies, balling her hands into fists. Even thinking about Plegia made her angry, annoyed with herself for coming from such a place.

"Mother, you're too hard on yourself. None of this was your fault."

"I know, I know," she sighs. "Why don't we get ready for Brady's concert? I'm sure that will take our minds off all of this."

"Good idea."

* * *

Dinner is a quiet affair, for once, with Maribelle insisting on taking both incarnations of Brady and Gaius out to dinner before his recital. Lissa eats on her feet, talking hurriedly to Ricken, who is chasing Owain around. The boy has recently perfected walking, and also running, and now runs around the dining room until his father grabs him, escorting him out with a sheepish smile. Robin can only laugh at she gazes upon the scene. Lissa sighs, following her husband out, leaving only Chrom's family behind.

Morgan perches on his seat, uncomfortable still, even after his heart to heart with his mother previously in the day. He glances at his parents while eating, and his eyes flicker away whenever either of them catches his eye. Four year old Lucina watches him with a fascinated curiosity. Morgan smiles at her, not begrudging this small child a piece of happiness. The princess gets up from her seat, making her way over to the boy. She sits beside him, smiling at him. She too is fearful, but the two sit in silence. Chrom notices this slight change in Morgan's behaviour, and nods towards Robin, who raises an eyebrow.

"Daddy, can Morgan and me go play upstairs?" Lucina asks, and her father has to take a moment before answering.

"Why don't you go up and get ready, and Morgan will join you in a minute? He's still eating."

"Okay!" The girl pushes herself off her seat, and runs out of the room, leaving the other members of her family in awkward silence.

"Chrom, Morgan would like to tell you where he's been the last few years," Robin says, her voice calm, hiding her inner panic. Chrom's eyes fall on Morgan, who shrinks back a little in his chair.

"Well, where were you? Losing you and your mother at the same time was hard, you know."

"Don't blame him, Chrom. He was only young, he didn't know better," Robin cuts in, trying to keep Chrom as cool as she can.

"I… I was in Plegia, father," Morgan says. Shame is clear on his face, and Chrom raises an eyebrow.

"Plegia, our sworn enemies? Or is there another Plegia I don't know about?"

"Chrom, we signed a peace deal with them. We are _not_ sworn enemies, we just don't particularly like them," Robin says, trying to calm Chrom, who is already losing his cool.

"Okay, okay. But why?"

"I wanted to know more about where mother came from. And I learned a lot while I was there."

"Like what?" Chrom questions.

"Like the whole thing about them wanting to take your child when it was born. That's how I found out, and that's why I'm here."

"What do you mean?" Robin asks, an unnerving feeling settling in her stomach.

"I… I know they wanted to take baby Morgan as their rightful king, because he's the next in line as Validar's grandson. I was thinking, because that's also technically me… I could go. Offer myself to be their king, and finally get peace between our two countries."

"Absolutely not," Robin says, folding her arms across her chest. "There is no way I will allow my son to- to… to sacrifice himself!"

"But mother!"

"No!"

"Why not? Dear, you know Plegia is an enemy, but with an ally at it's helm…" Chrom says, trying his best to appeal to Robin's senses. There was some truth in what Morgan was saying, but Robin didn't want to hear it.

"An ally is one thing, but a son is another."

"If they let him in, he'll bring peace."

"Yes, Chrom. _If_. What would he say that would let him in and convince them?"

"I would be willing to say about the time travel thing. I could tell them I came alone, which I did, and I could show them-"

"Morgan," Robin warns, but Chrom picks up on his words anyway.

"Show them what?" He asks, suspicions raised.

"The Mark of Grima," Morgan explains, his eyes cast to the floor.

"The… Mark? You have it? But Grima is dead! Robin's mark is gone!"

"Your child has it too. Mother wouldn't tell you."

"Morgan!"

"Morgan… has the mark?"

"I'm sorry."

"No, no. It's not your fault."

"It is, though! It clearly doesn't come from your exalted side of the family." Robin sighs, running a hand through her hair, throwing it over her shoulder.

"Robin, something is wrong here. How can Morgan have the Mark of Grima when Grima is dead?"

"Perhaps the Fell Dragon truly only sleeps after all," Morgan suggests, leaning back in his chair.

"No. Tharja went to investigate one day with her legion of mages from the army, and she concluded that there was only a skeleton left where Grima fell from the sky," Chrom explains, and Morgan nods in response.

"Either way, whether the dragon is dead or not, you're _not_ going to Plegia to become king, Morgan. And that is final."

"But mother, if you'd just-"

"Enough. Go find Lucina. I'm sure she's waiting for you."

Robin folds her arms with a sense of finality. Chrom raises an eyebrow at her stubborn attitude, but says nothing, pouring himself another glass of wine. Morgan gets up and awkwardly shuffles out of the room, headed in the direction that Lucina left to earlier. Robin sighs as soon as he's out of earshot, leaning on the table, head in her hands. Chrom places a comforting hand on her back.

"You know, he's all grown up. Remember that little kid who would never leave your side? Always trying to learn as much about tactics as he could, trying to use everything he learned from you against you. And now look at him. He wants to go to Plegia to help us, Robin. He could be a great ruler, and I think you know that," Chrom tells her. She doesn't want to hear, but she knows that he's right.

"I do, I do," she sighs. "It's just so strange seeing my children grow up and leave me. Lucina is gods know where, and Morgan wants to become the king of Plegia, for Naga's sake!"

"Lucina will be back, and it's not like we can't keep in contact with Morgan," Chrom comforts. "And we still have _our_ Lucina and Morgan, still children, with their whole lives ahead of them."

"I know, I know. It's hard for a mother, you know?"

"It's hard for a father, too." Chrom wraps an arm around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him. She rests her head on his shoulder. "I just have to make sure I support you as well as looking out for myself."

"You're too good to me," Robin laughs.

"Now don't go getting all sentimental. That's not like you."

"Shut up," she laughs.

"So."

"So?"

"Are you letting him go to Plegia? I think it's a good idea."

"Look at King Chrom, thinking about what's best for his children," Robin says bitterly, rolling her eyes. "I guess I have no other choice. As you say, he's an adult. He'll just go himself. He doesn't need parental permission. Though I think it's sweet that he asked anyway."

Silence falls between the pair, still wrapped in each other's embrace. It wasn't really like them to be this close where anyone could walk in and see them, but in times like this, neither of them really cares. It has been a stressful year, to say the least. Chrom shifts a little, his arm growing uncomfortable.

"When do you think we'll hear from Lucina again?" He asks, and Robin can't help but laugh.

"All this talk about children, right? I'm sure it won't be long. She's a home bird. She likes to come back. And she's in safe hands with Inigo and Owain."

"I just hope she doesn't come home with a child or anything," Chrom grumbles, letting his paternal side show.

"And if she does, we won't panic, as she too is an adult. In fact, I was younger than she is now when I had Lucina, so you can't complain. That one was all your fault," Robin jokes, and Chrom lets go of her, making her lose her balance slightly. "Stop that!"

"Don't dare put this all on me! She's your child too."

"I never said she wasn't."

He folds his arms in complaint, and she throws her head back in laughter, the mood lightened from the serious conversation they were having mere minutes earlier. She moves closer to him, cupping his face in her hands and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too. You really are being sentimental today, aren't you?" Chrom observes, and Robin dramatically lets go of him, standing up and storming out of the room.

"That's it! We're done!"

"Robin!" Chrom calls after her, but doesn't move, instead letting her go, knowing that she's headed for Morgan. She should be the one to break the news to him. He smiles at the door- they really have come a long way, haven't they?

* * *

Robin doesn't dare go into Lucina's room. Through a crack in the door, she can see her and Morgan, sitting on the floor. Morgan holds a tiny pink china teacup. Lucina pours pretend tea into the cup, and Morgan gratefully sips from it. Lucina hums quietly as she does all of this, and Robin watches Morgan's face as she moves about the room. He's smiling, and Robin's heart is put at ease. Genuine smiles from him were hard to get the last few days, but in this situation with his sister, it comes easily, naturally.

Hating to break the calm atmosphere of the room, Robin knocks quietly on the door, pushing it open. Lucina's eyes light up at the sight of her mother, and she can't help but fly towards her, attaching herself to Robin's legs. If she tried to move, she would fall over, so Robin stays still, and gently pats the girl's head. Morgan looks up at his mother, eyes wide with fear, but open seeing Robin's expression, his face softens.

"You know what I'm going to say, don't you?" Robin asks.

"I think so. At least, I hope so."

"You can go back to Plegia and do as you wish. Your father and I will write a letter for you to take with you. But if they threaten you in any way, you come back here, alright?"

"Thank you, mother," Morgan sighs, relief pouring from him.

"Don't thank me. Thank Chrom- he's the one who convinced me to let you go. It's hard, you know, watching your children go." Morgan gets up from the floor, setting the toy teacup down on the carpet. He makes his way toward his mother, and wraps his arms around her.

"Thank you," he says, his voice sincere. "I promise you I'll make a change in this world."

"I know you will, Morgan. You're destined for great things, I know it."

"Don't miss me too much, mother."

"I will miss you every day," Robin admits with a laugh. "We'll see each other again, very soon."

"Is this goodbye?"

"Take as long as you need."

"I may as well leave now. Before I… before I change my mind."

"Go. Go."

Morgan leans down to hug little Lucina, placing a kiss gently on her forehead, to which she pulls a face. He laughs, before leaving the room in a hurry, pulling his tactician's robes around him. He's halfway down the corridor before Robin runs after him, leaving Lucina staring around the corner of her door at them.

"Wait!" She calls. He stops in his tracks. "Stay safe, Morgan. And know that you're loved by both Chrom and I, even though you aren't our child in this life."

"Thank you, mother."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was edited while i was listening to the beauty and the beast soundtrack so i might not be able to have spotted every mistake through my literal tears


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Maribelle divulges information that becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

The desert is scorching hot. The sun hits the sand and everything else, burning it white hot. There are a few ruins scattered about, lost stone blocks within a sea of yellow. The sky is blue, not even a hint of a cloud covering the sun. The sun beats down on a lone traveller, who has long since abandoned his heavy coat. His boots sink into the sand, making it even harder to walk, taking twice as long. He wipes the sweat off his brow for the umpteenth time that day. The sun continues its relentless assault.

The Plegian capital is dead ahead, but for Morgan, making the rest of the journey is almost too much. He already has what he's going to say planned out completely in his head. Executing his plan is another thing, however. The stone towers marking the gate of entrance to the city breaks over the horizon, and he pushes forward, towards his end goal. He thanks his lucky stars that aside from his blue hair, he looks quite Plegian, even though he takes physically after his father more. His skin tone and facial structure give him away, and now he's grown, he's managed to lose the baby fat that lay on his face before.

"Halt!" A guard cries, and Morgan stops dead in his tracks, mere metres from the entrance to the city. He winces- so close, yet so far. "What's your business, traveller?"

"I'm here to see Campari. I have a query with him about the lineage of the Plegian throne," he says, mustering up as much confidence as he can.

"Campari won't listen to a child!" The guard scoffs. "He _knows_ he's not the rightful heir to the throne, but since she won't come, he's assumed the role. If you want to know more, read a history book!"

"I have," Morgan counters, cold, calculated. "And I know that I'm the rightful king of Plegia. Let me in to see Campari."

"Hey!" The guard calls, alerting the guard atop the other stone pillar. The other jumps to attention, blinking ferociously against the sun shining into his eyes. "This kid says he's the king of Plegia by birth!"

"Did Validar have another kid? It's possible- he looks old enough to be our Lord's offspring."

"If you'd let me in, I can explain to Campari personally," Morgan offers, quickly losing his patience.

"Oh, we'll let you in. But you're going to prison! There's no way we're letting a blasphemer wander the streets of our good city!"

"No, wait, I can explain!" Morgan exclaims, taking a tentative step backwards, his hand flying to the tome in his back as an automatic form of defence. The guard who originally spoke to him hops down from the tower, and grabs him, tossing the tome to the side.

"See, he's attacking us! Open the gate," he signals to his friend, and Morgan is lead into the busy streets of Plegia.

* * *

The castle is very different to the one Morgan had gotten used to back in Ylisse. It had been a couple of weeks since he was there, but the long carpeted hallways and the smiling faces of the servants still stick in his mind. He assumes, however, that the dungeon he was now in bears some resemblance to the one in Ylisstol. The bars of his cell were beginning to rust, and he glares at the inmate next to him- who had clearly seen better days. On his left was a stone wall, which he backs up against.

"What're ye in here for?" The criminal on his right leers, and Morgan wavers, before deciding he may as well come clean.

"Blasphemy, apparently," he shrugs. It isn't really blasphemy, when he isn't claiming to have any connection to either Grima or Naga. In truth he has connections with both gods, but he isn't about to open his mouth and mention that to anyone. Truthfully it was treason, but again- when you're technically third in line and your mother and elder sister have no interest, is it really treason?

"That's a crime and a half," the thief, as he later admits, mentions, raising an eyebrow, impressed. "You'll be executed for that. Stoning, I believe."

"I won't be."

"Oh, ye will. No trial or nothing."

"I will convince them. I have a letter in my coat- I'm sure they've found it."

A clanking of armour makes the thief scoot back into the furthest corner of his own cell, which Morgan is eternally glad of. The stench of the man, who had clearly been in here for a good while, was beginning to get to him, despite their conversation only being short. The guard who had brought him in comes into the room, followed by a prison guard, followed by Aversa, followed by Campari. Aversa peers through the bars at Morgan, who does everything in his power to keep his face neutral.

"Gods, he looks like Chrom," she spits.

"This is the boy!" The guard says. "Appeared at the height of midday, sweat pouring off him, claiming to be the king of Plegia!"

He is dismissed with a wave of Campari's hand. Morgan notices the lack of a crown on his head, and remembers what he'd heard before- Campari was an unwilling king, elected by the people in place of Validar. The previous king was too extreme in his ways- the Grimleal were the ones that brought the throne back to him, not the people. Morgan glances towards the prison guard, who holds his cloak.

"We found this letter within his belongings, sire," he says, handing the thin envelope over to Campari. Aversa sneers at it on it's way past her face. Campari turns the envelope over, and upon seeing the wax holding it closed, he gasps.

"This is the seal of the House of Ylisse!" He exclaims in wonder, tearing the letter open. There's an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes while he reads it, Aversa peering over his shoulder. "By the gods. A time traveller! But… you look like Chrom, with the skin of the queen and demeanor to match hers. It must be true! And of course, this letter verifies it!"

"There is no way we're letting this mongrel run our country!" Aversa yells, her outrage clear. "We need more proof than a letter about time travel from my dearest sister! He could've made all this up!"

"So you're saying that the version of yourself in this timeline is the baby Robin just had, the one that lies asleep in Ylisse's palace?" Campari presses, ignoring Aversa's outburst.

"Yes, sir," Morgan speaks, for the first time. His voice is calm and leveled. He is trying his best to be respectful, yet his glares towards Aversa make her almost boil over.

"I recognise him!" She claims. "He fought beside them in the war."

"You're only giving him more proof, milady," the prison guard mumbles.

"Silence, fool!" She says, pointing a long nail directly towards his neck. "I say we just kill him. What good is he going to do? Raised a Ylissian. He knows nothing of Plegian ways!"

"I've been living in Plegia for three years," Morgan admits. "In a town near to where the old kingdom of Altea lay. I don't claim knowledge of your religion-"

"Grima is dead anyway. What can the Grimleal do?" Campari says.

"Plenty," Aversa laughs. "You forget, dear sir, that the Grimleal make up most of the population! Even those who worship him but don't want to become part of the sect would sneer at this child."

"I have the Mark," Morgan says suddenly, and Aversa stops in her tracks.

"What did you say?"

"I have the Mark," he repeats, slower, more deliberate.

"Nonsense."

"It's true."

"What Mark?" Campari asks, thrown by Morgan's sudden admission.

"He surely means the Mark of Grima. Impossible. Our lord Grima is dead, and so any trace of him should have vanished along with his remains!"

"Mother thought so too," Morgan pipes up. "She had the Mark, and it's gone now. When she returned after defeating him, after a long two years, it was gone. No trace remains."

"She probably still has that awful gaudy tattoo, though. She was such a devoted Grimleal until father noticed her mark… then she ran."

"I didn't know that…"

"She probably doesn't remember," Aversa says flippantly. "Now, where is your mark, if what you claim is true?"

Morgan sits on the small stool in his cell, and reaches down to unbuckle one boot. He pulls it off, and then the sock he wears as well. Aversa visibly flinches when she sees the mark, bright purple against Morgan's tanned skin. It's six eyes stare up at Morgan, and he pulls his sock and boot on quickly, not wanting to stare at this mark of shame any longer.

"The Grimleal will love him," Aversa says, her voice filled with awe.

"Are you against him any longer?" Campari asks, although from the look in her eyes, he knows there isn't much point in asking.

"No. This child- he is the herald. The chosen one. A rightful king, and a vessel for our lord Grima. All hail King Morgan," she drawls.

The prison guard unlocks Morgan's cell. Aversa reaches in and grabs him by the arm. His cloak is thrown around his shoulders, and he is pushed through to the main hall of the castle. From there, he is led into the throne room, and now he has time to put his arms into his cloak. Campari gestures towards the throne, and he sits tentatively. Aversa bows deeply, and places the crown, sitting beside the royal chair, on top of his head.

"Long live the king."

"Long live the king!"

"Long live the king," she whispers, and although he's where he wanted to be, Morgan can't help but feel an immense amount of pressure.

* * *

Chrom takes Morgan from Robin one afternoon, allowing her a few hours of peace. She decides to spend it with Maribelle over a cup of tea. Maribelle insists on bringing out her finest china and fanciest tea bags. The dining room is quiet at this time of the afternoon, with only the odd maid wandering in to check that there was enough plates set out for dinner or that the tablecloth was properly pressed.

"There's been tension within the city lately," Maribelle divulges. "Suspicions about you, in fact. Gaius told me he overheard whisperings of an anti Plegia movement."

"I'm not the hugest fan of Plegia myself. Why would my birthplace matter? I've been living here for many years- I'm married to their Exalt!" Robin says bitterly, sipping on her tea.

"An anti Plegian movement," Maribelle reiterates. "Your husband started some accidental scaremongering with his panic after you returned from Plegia. That started a chain reaction- those in the streets are fearful now too."

"There are Plegians living here that have been here since the end of the war with Gangrel. There's people living here that were here long before that too. Why now?"

"You better have a word with Chrom."

"This conversation is getting awfully political," Robin says, grabbing another biscuit from the plate and dunking it in her tea, to which Maribelle turns up her nose. "I thought we were supposed to be relaxing," she manages through a mouthful of biscuit.

"And I though you were supposed to be a lady," Maribelle shudders. "Either way, Robin, this is important. As queen, you need to have a good understanding of what's happening outside the palace walls."

"I'm on maternity leave," Robin points out, infuriating the troubadour even further.

"You do not get maternity leave from being a queen!" Maribelle exclaims, and upon seeing Robin's smirk, quickly calms down. "I know Chrom doesn't really expect you to do much, but once your children are older you will be expected to take on a more political role, a more prominent role."

"Morgan is barely two months old. I don't need to worry just yet."

"Perhaps not about that, but I do have some more unsettling news for you. You know those assassins we captured all that time ago?"

"That was a long time ago. Are they even relevant any more? I mean, there haven't been any similar attacks since."

"We're worried, considering the things that Gaius has heard in the city. And he's not the only one- Panne and Miriel also heard of these goings on. Anyway, as I was saying, those people had no connection to the Plegians as we originally thought. The confessed yesterday evening, and have been put away in jail properly, where they belong. They too are part of this movement against Plegians." Maribelle bites her lip, as if she wasn't willing to share this information with Robin.

"Oh," Robin's voice is quiet now. She thought that originally, her crime was just being queen. That someone hated her because of her disappearance and reappearance, someone hated Chrom, perhaps. In fact, for a long time, she was convinced the assassination was for Chrom, not her. What had she done? But now she finds out that they hate her because of her race- and what was she supposed to do about that?

"Robin?" Maribelle asks quietly.

"I want to find Chrom. Come with me and look after Morgan and Lucina for a while," Robin says suddenly, jumping to her feet.

"Whatever you wish, my lady."

They find him all too easily- sitting in his favourite spot under a magnolia tree. Lucina rolls about on the grass, and Robin is all too thankful the little princess is wearing a dark dress today. Chrom rocks Morgan, asleep, in his arms, peering over the blanket into his son's face. It's probably too warm for the blanket, but Robin doesn't say anything about this as she approaches.

"I thought you were having a day off from minding the kids?" Chrom asks, looking up at her. She reaches her arms out silently, and he passes Morgan across to her. Without even looking at her child she hands him over to Maribelle, who calls Lucina to her side.

"Maribelle will look after them for a while for us," she can barely control the sadness within her voice, and Lucina glances over at her mother, worry clearly expressed on her face. With that, the blonde woman escorts Lucina away, whispering kind words to her as she backs away.

"What's wrong, dear?" Chrom asks as Robin flops down on the grass beside him.

"I'm just not having a good day," she mumbles, resting her head on his shoulder. He wraps an arm around her, pulling her closer to his chest.

"I thought it was something I did. You seemed really angry."

"I wouldn't come to you for comfort if I was annoyed at you, would I?" Robin counteracts. "No, no. I just didn't want to cry in front of the kids. Or Maribelle, for that."

"Care to share your problems with a caring ear?" Chrom offers, entwining his fingers in her hair absentmindedly.

"You probably already know about the anti Plegians that are gathering in town."

"I didn't want to alarm you," he says softly.

"Well, that's what upset me. I can't- I mean- I've done nothing! Nothing! Why do they hate me because I'm from a different country?" Tears well up in Robin's eyes and spill over, and Chrom can do nothing but tighten his grip around her and place a kiss on her forehead.

"This is my fault. I accidentally started this. I didn't mean all Plegians- of course not! I meant Aversa, and Campari, those in charge. They wanted to steal our child to put on their throne- how else was I supposed to react?"

"I know, I know. I don't blame you. Your words have been misinterpreted. I just… they hate me because I'm an _immigrant_!" She spits the word out like it's poison, not wanting to keep it inside any longer. "As if I even have memories of Plegia from when I was a child," she grumbles.

"I will fix this, Robin. Trust in me. Please? Even after what I've done. I know I don't deserve your love after I was accidentally the cause of a movement against you and your people-" She worms her way out of his grip, and takes his face within her hands, staring him dead in the eyes.

"Chrom," she manages, through tears. "This was not your fault. The people in the streets have been listening wrong. And there's been hate for our neighbours forever- if anything, this is the fault of your ancestors, and theirs. But let's not place blame. Let's just… forget about it for now. I want to spend the rest of my afternoon off with you, and not think about the fact that I was almost assassinated a year ago."

"Has it really been that long?"

"Almost. Just eleven months."

"Gods. I can't believe you've been back that long. It feels like forever that we found you in that field. And then you had no memory…"

"Not the time to reminisce, love. We need to live in the present. Too much has happened in our pasts to think about all that."

"We can remember happy memories, though. Remember our wedding day?" Chrom says, leaning in close to her. She lets go of his face finally, and he falls back on the grass. She laughs, any trace of tears negated with the bright sound of her laugh.

"How could I forget? Everyone was there. Frederick was your best man."

"Ah, Frederick. I do miss him."

"Of course. I do too. I still find myself wondering where he is."

"Same with me. But then the realisation hits me, and I have to ground myself again." His voice wavers ever so slightly, and she places a hand on top of his. "You looked radiant in your wedding dress. You look beautiful every day," he comments, and Robin blushes, as if he was talking when they first met.

"Stop that."

"What, telling the truth? I don't think that'd make me a great leader."

"You can be a great leader and not shower me with compliments at every passing moments," she rebuts.

"But you're my wife, and I love you, so I will anyway." This time when he leans in close, Robin is the one that closes the small amount of space between them; her mouth easily finding it's way to his. "Like I said, I love you," he says when they break apart, a smile plastered on his face.

"Sire!" A voice calls, and the rustling of grass makes Robin back away from Chrom a little, their fingers still entwined. A guard stands a few metres ahead of them, out of breath, clearly running frantically. "Milady," he regards, and Robin inclines her head to him.

"Peace, soldier," Chrom says, holding up a hand. "What's the matter?"

"Fires in the city! Many a fire, buildings going up in flames! The fire brigade has been called, sire!"

"What do you mean fires? Arson or accidental?" Chrom says, pushing himself to his feet. Robin follows suit, worry evident on her face.

"Arson I would reckon, sir. Doesn't look like no accident to me. There are people on the street; they're burning flags!"

"What flags?" Robin asks quickly, before Chrom has a chance to think of a response.

"Black. With a purple symbol, like milady had on her hand before."

"No," Robin whispers, her eyes wide with fear.

"Alert the shepherds, and have Sumia and Lissa get down here with their bags and Robin's packed. Get Maribelle to bring Lucina and Morgan back. Arm the castle," Chrom lists off, and the guard nods quickly, before turning back towards the castle and taking off at a breakneck pace.

"This can't happen. What have we done to deserve this?"

"You have done nothing to deserve riots in your name," Chrom reassures. "If I hear anyone speak directly against you, I will have them executed for treason-"

"Chrom!"

"No. You have to go. I'm getting Sumia and Lissa to take you to the safe house. Where we tried to bring Emmeryn all that time ago."

"She ended up kidnapped in Plegia! I…" Robin wavers.

"Go, Robin."

"What about you?"

"I will stay here and defend Ylisstol. I have some strong mages on my side, and Vaike and Panne I'm sure will help. Perhaps if things get really out of hand we can call a favour…"

"What are you talking about?"

"It doesn't matter currently. But you have to go."

"But-"

"Robin!" He grabs her arms, holding her away from him. Then, in one fluid movement, he pulls her in, into a tight embrace. "This is for your own good. Now, go!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> early update so i can play pokemon all day tomorrow ;)))))


	15. Warzone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Robin doesn't know whether she wants to stay or go, and everyone gets involved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kinda weird format this time? I'm trying something new and I thought it worked plot wise for this chapter. apologies!

"Sir, there's been damage to the outer wall. The gate may be breached at any moment," a guard informs. Chrom's eyebrows knit together as he fastens his armour onto his shoulder. He's dressed for battle, and it's been a long time since he's had to wear this with the knowledge that he will have to fight.

"I'll be out in a minute. Are the shepherds in place?"

"Yes. Panne holds the front gate, and from what was reported to me, the people there are weakening in numbers. It makes it more likely that they'll try to take another gate, though."

"Are Robin and the children safely away?"

"They're long gone, Sumia and Lissa with them, sire."

Chrom breathes a sigh of relief. It's been a long day as it is, but with this riot breaking out and half the city on fire, he knows he'll be up half the night. His cape fully attached, he lifts Falchion from its permanent position by the desk and sheaths it by his side. The Exalt's hand hovers over a letter on the desk, before lifting it and handing it to the guard, who is hopping nervously from foot to foot.

"Give this to a Pegasus Knight who will take it to Ferox. Get them to tell Lady Olivia I need a favour," he commands, and the guard jumps to attention.

"Yes, sir! The rest of the troops are waiting in the hall for you. They expect instruction."

Chrom nods and dismisses the guard, who scurries away without another word. He stares at his sorry reflection in the mirror. It was his fault that the riots had broken out in the first place- although being wary of possibly Plegian terrorists and child kidnappers was an entirely different thing from the real reason people were fighting in the streets. He glances out the window. The city is lit with orange, red and yellow, the sky obscured by smoke. It's loud outside, with people chanting and yelling and screaming out for him to do something.

And what can he do? Tactics were not his forte by any stretch of the imagination. His top two tacticians from the war were gone, and for the first time since Robin's return, Chrom felt a strange sense of emptiness. She was his right hand woman, both in life and in war. And he sent her away, to protect her from those who would try to harm her. It was the right thing to do, he knows, but now he's getting selfish and wants her back by his side.

He marches down flights of concrete stairs, the calls from outside increasing in volume with every step. He almost trips towards the bottom, and is glad that there is no one around. The light from the torches on the wall reflects off his crown, casting gold rings on the walls. He is reminded, poetically so, of the weight of piece of metal rested upon his head, and takes a deep breath, pushing the heavy wooden doors of the grand hall open. Inside are lines of soldiers, who stand to attention as soon as he walks in.

"I have only one command for you. Protect Ylisstol!"

"Yes, sir!"

_Be safe. Please… be safe!_

* * *

"This is so much better than walking," Lissa comments nonchalantly, holding Lucina tight while the princess throws her arms in the air in excitement.

"You're far too calm about this whole situation," Robin retorts. Her stomach has been churning since hey left Ylisstol. Darkness has overtaken now, and they fly across the plains in the east of Ylisse with only the light of the stars to guide them. Sumia seems to know where she's going, though, occasionally glancing down into the night to check for landmarks.

"You're too worried. There have been riots in the city before, Robin. You just weren't with us when they were happening. Riots involving the two different sides of the city- the richer side and the poorer. It was scary." Lissa shudders at the thought, and Robin merely rolls her eyes.

"You weren't involved in that, Lissa. You weren't the _target_. I'd never received hatred like that for being from Plegia, not openly at least." Lissa opens her mouth to talk back, but Robin stops her. "I know the way some of the ladies in waiting get on. They think that Chrom married me to strengthen bonds with Plegia. Well, I think I'll-"

"There it is!" Sumia calls out, effectively stopping Robin's fear induced rant. She points to a glowing beacon on the side of a hill, overlooking the sea. "They must know we're coming."

"Chrom never said he sent anyone ahead of us," Robin wonders, clutching Morgan tighter to her chest.

"Then we'll be on guard," Sumia answers, her voice calm and in control. "Let's land here. We'll be at a safe enough distance to walk and get a good idea of what's going on."

Sumia tethers the Pegasi to a tree, taking care of each one while the two royals watch on intently. Lissa has Lucina by the hand. The youngest princess thinks of this whole situation as an adventure, not unlike the ones Chrom reads to her at night. Morgan has slept most of the journey, which Robin is eternally grateful for.

"Alright. Let's check this out, then." Sumia walks ahead, setting a brisk pace for the other two to follow. Her lance lies lazily by her side, her hand ready to swing it into action as soon as necessary.

The house is bigger up close, and even Lisa marvels at the large white building. Candles are lit in the entrance hall, so there must be at least one person home in this otherwise cold looking building. Sumia marches up to the door, knocking viciously on it, as if that will make whoever is inside fearful of her. The door opens quickly, and Sumia stands defensively before dropping her lance in shock.

"I'm glad to see you five made it here unscathed. Please, come in," the coral haired girl says, moving aside to let them into the house. Sumia is frozen to the spot.

"Cherche? Wh-what are you doing here? I thought you were in Rosanne?"

"I was, but I was sent to a town not too from here by Virion a few days ago. Chrom must've known I was there, since I was sent a missive that you'd be here in a matter of hours, and I was to let you in. The poor Wyvern Rider almost dropped the key when he saw Minerva, bless him. Now, will you come inside? You'll catch cold, and you're letting a draught in."

Not wanting to wait in the cold any longer, Robin pushes Sumia in the back, who manages to trip her way into the house. Lissa lifts her lance, setting it by the door for her to collect later. Cherche hugs everyone after closing the door, patting little Lucina on the head and crooning to Morgan, still wrapped in his blankets.

"I'm sure you three want to relax. I've heard it was a long day, and judging by Chrom's handwriting in his letter to me, he's got a lot on his plate. Why don't I put Lucina to bed for you, and you can make tea?"

"That would be helpful. I can feed Morgan now as well," Robin says, noticing the boy is beginning to stir.

"I can tell you all of what Kjelle's been up too recently too!" Cherche offers, and despite barely knowing the woman, Lucina's face lights up at the sound of her best friend.

"Okay then!" Lucina smiles, and Cherche scoops her up.

Robin collapses on a sofa in the main room, unbuckling her boots and throwing her feet up onto a footstool. Lissa busies herself with the tea, claiming that she didn't trust Sumia to do so. Sumia stares out the window, squinting in the direction of Ylisstol.

"I can't see anything, which must be good, right? It's so dark- if the whole city was alight, the light would make it here, right?"

"Probably," Robin says, glancing at the window. Chrom floats into the forefront of her mind, and she worries for his safety, stuck in a city that wants his wife and everyone like her dead.

_Be safe, dear. Be safe._

* * *

"I found this messenger outside." The Pegasus Knight is thrown into a warm office, the snow on her cowl and hat melting quickly. "She was hovering. Didn't know whether she was coming or going." The door closes loudly, shutting out the howling wind from behind it.

"Give me your message," a voice comes from the table, it's owner not looking up. The letter is set on the desk, and then the messenger retreats. "Please, stand by the fire. I'm sure you're frozen solid."

"Thank you, Khan Olivia," the messenger mumbles, doing as she was told.

The pink haired woman looks to the messenger finally, and clocking the uniform, quickly reaches for the letter. She sighs when she sees the handwriting, so distinctly Chrom's. The Pegasus Knight looks on, worried about the Khan's reaction. It's late here too, and even if Chrom's request is listened, too, they might not make it in time.

"Dear," Olivia says, aimed at the man standing by the door. "Please inform Flavia and Basilio of an emergency trip to Ylisse that will take place in five minutes."

"How am I supposed to get a message halfway across the country to them in five minutes?" He sighs.

"Lon'qu, this is an _emergency_. Use your imagination!" She scribbles a message on the end of the letter, in a much neater handwriting that that of the previous author.

"I can take it, if that'd be more convenient for you two. I wouldn't want to put either of you more out of your way than I already am…" The messenger says, slipping her gloves back on the hands.

"Do you know where Khan Flavia lives?" Olivia asks.

"It's a big house. She can't miss it," Lon'qu deadpans.

"Beside the Arena," Olivia fills in helpfully.

"O-okay! I promise to get it there as quickly as my steed will take me."

"Thank you so much," the Kahn says breathing a sigh of relief. The messenger takes the letter held back to her, and runs out of the office and back into the snowy night.

"I suppose we're going to Ylisse, then? What's the occasion? Inigo back?"

"He's only been gone a year, darling. No, riots on the streets. Robin's been taken to the safe house. Anti-Plegian movement." Her sentences are broken, but she's up like a shot, putting on a coat that hangs on the stand by her door. She lifts her dancer's bracelets from their spot hanging on the wall, and grabs her sword.

"She's in that much danger? I thought they only moved royals if it was deemed there might be an assassination," Lon'qu says, raising an eyebrow. He shifts the sword in his grip, hand on the door handle.

"She must be."

Olivia places a kiss to Lon'qu's lips, chaste but nonetheless loving. He scowls ever so slightly, yet when she turns her back he smiles at his wife. She opens the door, leaving the fire burning in it's place, and grabs the nearest servant to take care of Inigo while they were gone. They rush on into the night, mounting the only two Pegasi the residency of the West Khan have.

_Ylisstol… do not fall. Stay strong. We're coming. Be safe._

* * *

There are four gates surrounding the palace in Ylisstol, one on each outer wall. Usually they are armed with two guards each, but tonight it is different. Chrom joins Panne and Ricken on the front gate, each soldier bringing a different strength to the battle ahead. Tharja, Vaike and Kellam held the south gate- a tough job, considering the amount of people thinking they could sneak in the back way. The west gate had mostly rusted over, and was rarely used, so only Maribelle and Libra stood there, occasionally rushing elsewhere to heal whoever had been injured. Gaius and Nowi, along with Miriel who turned up later, stood guard at the east gate, the one closest to the city.

"We could really do with some reinforcements!" Nowi yelled in the midst of the fighting, an axe from the angry mob outside the gate flying past her. In her dragon form, her voice echoed all around the courtyard.

"Will ya shut it?" Gaius complained, leaning against the wall and not really joining in. "You're the only one out of the three of us doing any work, hence why you think we need reinforcements."

"If you two would help then I wouldn't need to yell."

"We are in no imminent danger," Miriel stated, a tome in her hand either way.

"I almost got impaled by a flying axe!" Nowi pointed out, swopping low to the ground and transforming back into her human form.

"Like Specs says, we're in no danger. Unless they somehow get through the gate, then we might be." He grimaces at the thought, and Nowi frowns in disgust.

"They probably will, now you've said that."

"Well, Kid, it's a learning experience for all of us. I don't think I've ever had to defend a castle before."

"Will you please stop calling me kid! I told you, I'm over a thousand years older than you!"

"Both of you, please shut up," Miriel says, quickly losing her patience. "Perhaps you would be better suited to a different station, Gaius? You could swap with Vaike or Kellam- that way we would still be balanced-"

"Stop trying to sound like Bubbles."

" _Her Majesty._ "

"Yeah yeah."

Gaius rolls his eyes, and begins to pay more attention to the flavours of the lollipop he's had in his mouth for the past five minutes. Of course, at that moment, a Mage on the outside fires a spell towards the gate, causing the iron to heat up until Miriel warned them back from it, firing a Elwind spell of her own in a vain attempt to cool it down. Another axe user ran at the gate, hitting the lock with his axe. The Lock shattered, and the gate was pushed forward, someone kicking it out of the way. Gaius jumped into position, sword in his hand, and Nowi held her Dragonstone high in the air, transforming once more.

"There's been a breach!" Miriel calls, firing spell after spell to keep the rioters at bay. Already they were pushing their way into the grounds of the castle, but with more soldiers coming their way, they were held back with not too much effort from the shepherds.

_How is everyone else doing? Gods, I hope they're safe._

* * *

"Sorry to intrude!"

"No, no, come in, warrior of Ylisse."

"Thank you, ma'am. Uh… Khan Olivia sent me," the Pegasus Knight says, sheepishly handing the now tattered envelope over to Flavia, who, unlike Olivia, was clearly not working. She was seated on a red plush sofa, the fire roaring in her fireplace.

"Olivia? But are you not a Ylissian soldier?"

"I am, ma'am. I was sent to Olivia by Lord Chrom, and then to you."

"Must be a problem." She tears the envelope open with one clean swipe of her nail, and hastily reads the contents, with Olivia's added note at the end. "Riots?"

"They're bad, ma'am. Lady Robin was rushed out of the city to a safe house."

"Must be a pretty dire situation." Flavia slowly gets to her feet, a lot more relaxed than the Western Khan. She grabs her breastplate from the floor, attaching it as she wanders out of the room, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

"Ah, shall I excuse myself?" The messenger asks, meekly hovering by the door.

"No need. Wait for us, then you can show us a good route." Flavia turns to the stairs, cupping her hands to her mouth. "Oaf! Get down here! We must fight in Ylisse!"

The Khan rushes around, throwing water over the fire to put it out and gathering missing pieces of armour and weapons. A few minutes later, Basilio appears at the top of the stairs, fully dressed in his battle gear. He marches down the stairs, regarding the young Ylissian girl with confusion.

"What's going on?"

"Riots in Ylisse," Flavia states simply. "I'm sure you're glad we're closer to the Ylissian border than the other Khan. They can make their own way, I'm sure. Now, let us depart!"

The Pegasus Knight curses her luck- she would've gotten on so much better with the shy Lon'qu and Olivia. Instead, she was stuck with the outrageously extroverted Flavia and Basilio, who would torture her the whole way to the capital.

_Please, let Ylisstol still be there when I arrive back…_

* * *

With a loud flap of wings, two Pegasi land at the back gate of the palace, their riders dismounting quickly, swords already in hand. The dancer sheds her coat, leaving it on the back of her mount. She shakes her hair out, before dashing towards her husband, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace. It takes a short moment before he responds, pulling her close to his chest.

"Stay safe, and don't get yourself hurt, okay? I'm going to see how Chrom is doing. Stay here with these three. You'll be okay?"

"No need to ask."

He lets her go, and with a quick bow of her head, Olivia scampers off around the palace. Lon'qu moves slightly towards the southern gate. It too has been opened, but those defending it are now fighting off hordes of rioters, not all of which look Ylissian, in the streets outside the palace. The swordsmaster takes matters into his own hands, and runs into the street, unsheathing his sword as he goes. He quickly slices through multiple enemies, taking more pressure off the other fighters, so they get through those fighters who are there quickly.

Vaike pats him on the back, mumbling something about it being nice to have him back, as he wanders back inside the wall to attempt to fix the gate. Now that he thinks about it, he remembers Olivia saying that there were three fighters here, yet he can only see two beside himself. Considering it a slip of the tongue, he too turns to go back inside the wall- the least he can do is make himself useful while he is here. But a sorceress slides in front of him, stopping him from entering. She leans against the wall, Nosferatu tome balanced on her hip.

"Nice of you to drop in. We're both immigrants too, we should work together," Tharja drawls. "They hate me already, and it won't be long until they hate you too. What do you say- Chon'sin and Plegia against the world?"

"Get away from me, vile woman," Lon'qu growls, taking a step back from her, lest she try anything untoward.

"You're married now. I didn't think this fear would last," she comments.

"You too are married, and too a man of Naga. You should stay away from other women's husbands. Especially one who is married to the Khan of Regna Ferox!" He says, turning back to dispatch a lose fighter, clearly lost from the pack.

"Why, what's she gonna do? Olivia? Dance at me till I die?"

"I'll have you executed for threatening me. Call it intimidation."

"Well, I value my life here in Ylisstol a lot, so I'll heed your clearly empty threat and leave poor Lon'qu alone," she laughs, turning away, her heels clicking on the concrete stone tiles that make up the path into the palace as she sashays away from him. Lon'qu glares after her, cursing his bad luck that Olivia left him here with her.

… _Are you okay?_

* * *

"Cherche, you have to let me go back," Robin hisses. "I haven't heard anything from the city in hours, and it's late now. Chrom could be _dead_ for all I know!"

"Is no news not good news?" Cherche asks, passing a third cup of tea across to Robin in an attempt to calm her.

Both children are asleep, and Lissa has curled up on the corner of a sofa, eyes dangerously close to closing. Robin couldn't sleep even if she wanted to, her brain running over thousands of different possibilities of what could be happening back in Ylisstol. Sumia paces in the hall, her heels clicking rhythmically against the marble. Cherche too is awake, but probably because of the time difference between the far eastern reaches of Ylisse and Rosanne where she takes up permanent residence.

"No, it is not. Look, I know it's not a good idea, but I'm heading back." Robin jumps to her feet.

"Not on your own!" Cherche warns. "And not without a weapon! And of course, you don't have any tomes on you, so there's no chance you're going." She folds her arms finally, when Sumia makes her way back into the room.

"I'll accompany Lady Robin back to Ylisstol."

"No! I was told to keep you here! I know you are a capable warrior, but there is no way I am sending you back to a war zone!" Cherche argues.

"It's hardly a war zone," Robin scoffs. "Riots do not classify as a warzone. Besides, the city will definitely fall without me there. Chrom is a great leader, but his tactics are… lackluster, bless him."

"You don't have a weapon," Cherche points out again.

"This is a safe house for royalty. There's gotta be some sort of weapons store somewhere."

"There is, there is!" Lissa says, sitting up straighter and rubbing her eyes to stay involved in the conversation. "In the basement. I don't know how lucky you'd be finding powerful tomes, but there will definitely be swords down there somewhere!"

Robin meets Cherche's eyes, and then runs out of the room, the Wyvern Rider jumping to her feet to follow her. Sumia blocks the door, effectively stopping Cherche from leaving. The coral haired woman glares at the Pegasus Knight, but realises her defeat quickly, and sits down where she was before, lifting her teacup once again.

A few quiet minutes pass, with Lissa embracing her tiredness, and Cherche glaring into her tea. Sumia's eyes flicker between the two of them, trying her hardest not to laugh. Robin returns with a silver sword and an Arcthunder tome a few minutes later, mumbling under her breath about the lack of Thoron tomes. She motions with her head to Sumia, who jumps up from the seated position she had taken up on the arm of the sofa Lissa was sleeping on.

"Time to go."

"Are you sure about this?" Sumia says, her eyes still wandering towards Cherche, who was watching them out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes. Chrom needs me. I know my safety is important, but imagine what would happen if he died in these riots and then I had to rule instead? That would make things worse."

"What if _you_ die?"

"Chrom has coped without me before," Robin says, turning quickly away from Sumia and marching towards the front door.

"He didn't cope at all."

"What?"

"He broke down nearly every day, Robin!" Sumia says, her voice rising. "It wasn't just him! The war destroyed so many people's lives, and tonight could make things worse for even more families. Just… just think before you do anything rash, okay?"

Robin nods mutely, walking out into the night, followed by Sumia, embarrassed by her sudden outburst. Sumia unties her Pegasus, followed by Robin's, and jumps on it's back, her armour clinking against itself. Robin clambers onto her mount's back, her coat wrapped around her to keep in the heat. Cherche comes to the front door of the house, waving as they take off into the night.

"Stay safe!" She calls after them, her voice almost lost into the wind.

"Are you ready?" Sumia asks, and Robin nods slowly.

"Let's do this."

_Hang on, dear. I'm coming!_


	16. Memoir

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which everything turns out okay.

"Holy Naga. It really is a warzone!" Sumia exclaims, nudging her Pegasus to fly lower over the now burning city.

Robin is speechless. The city of Ylisstol is aflame, and although she can see many small groups of people trying to put their own fires out, their efforts aren't enough to quench the flames. A building on the outskirts of the town is already burnt to a crisp, a shell of it's former self. As she follows Sumia, Robin can't help but wonder if the same fate had befallen the castle.

As they fly closer, Robin is relieved to see that the northern part of the city had largely been spared from the flames, although the damage was still visible to her, even from such a difference. The gates on the outer castle wall had been ripped from their hinges, and part of the wall had collapsed, probably due to an extreme amount of pressure being put on it. Robin directs her own Pegasus to the ground, dismounting quickly.

Her tome feels heavy in her hand as she runs in through the gap in the wall where the gate used to be. Panne lies on the ground, whether asleep or defeated Robin can't tell. She scoots around the taguel's body, glancing up at the castle. There are no lights- not a single candle that Robin can see. She runs around to the back, hoping that there will be some sign of life from an otherwise dead city.

It's eerily silent, and Robin has to wonder what happened. There are no rioters on the streets, not like the masses she saw when she flew over the city during her escape earlier in the day. The queen makes her way around the final stone tower, and to her relief, finds the shepherds sitting on the grass, clearly exhausted. In the middle of their circle sits another Manakete, one that Robin has laid eyes upon in a while. She is meditating, something that she often does, eyes shut tightly.

"Good evening to you, Lady Robin," Tiki offers, her eyes still closed. The other shepherds, who previously hadn't noticed her presence, rush over to her, wishing her well and filling her in on what happened.

"How did you win so quickly? You could've had a civil war on your hands!"

"Tiki!" Nowi explains. "She said she sensed trouble and arrived really quickly! And because she can turn into a bigger dragon than I can, she scared everyone else off."

"So… you won because Tiki scared the rioters?" Robin asked, and judging by the nods, she took that the general consensus was yes. "And where are they now?"

"Putting out the fires, I would imagine. Fixing the mess they've made. Of course, we apprehended some people, and I would imagine that's where your husband is now. The dungeons are pretty full, I hear," Miriel fills in, and Robin can only nod in confusion.

"Darling!" A voice calls from behind her, and Robin turns sharply, knowing that Maribelle wouldn't want to be kept waiting. "Why are you back?"

"I was getting nervous," Robin admitted with a laugh.

"Oh, we all were. But you should've _seen_ Chrom. He was _strategizing_ as he fought. I've never seen the likes! Really, you've had a wonderful influence on him. He's the real reason we did so well, don't listen to Nowi. Of course, having Tiki here helped so much. But it was your Chrom that managed to pull of this whole thing." Maribelle laughs, but then her lip quivers ever so slightly and she drags the tactician towards her, pulling her in for a hug. "I'm just glad you're safe!"

"Maribelle, this isn't like you," Robin smiles, confused by the healer's sudden outpouring of emotions.

"I'm happy that my favourite liege is safe. We were all worried about you."

"Where… where is Chrom?" Robin asks, almost afraid to do so.

"What do you mean, where is he? He was here just five minutes ago. I left to check on the prisoners that we took- all of them yelling about you and how you're awful- they still are, I imagine."

"Miriel said he was probably down there. But if you just came from there, then…"

"He could be anywhere."

"Was he hurt?" Robin asks, her voice growing frantic. "He got that injury before, remember? Back when this whole thing kicked off."

"Not that I'm aware of, but that man is ridiculous. He could be dying and he wouldn't tell anyone so as not to burden them."

"Maribelle, that isn't helping," Robin sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I'm going to look for him."

"First of all, calm down. No one reported that he was injured in any way! And there were people fighting with him! They would've seen something," Maribelle says, but her voice wavers, which is enough to send Robin off running into the night.

* * *

The smell of burnt wood still fills the air, and the city is warm, the early July heat coupled with the fires burning around the city making the air hot. Thankfully, Robin can hear the fire brigade, who are stationed near the palace, running out to the main part of the city, and she's sure that they'll manage to do their job. Her legs are weary, and when she glances to the sky and sees the sun threatening to rise, pulling itself over the horizon from it's nightly slumber, she realises why.

The garden is completely unharmed, Robin notes, with gratitude in her heart. Her feet carry her to where she wants to go without her having to consciously think about it. She walks through her pride and joy- the vegetable garden- and past the rows of pansies and tulips she and Maribelle planted during what would otherwise have been a very arduous and boring pregnancy. She heads towards the end of the garden, where, as she expects, she finds the Exalt, seated under his favourite magnolia tree. His eyes are closed, but as she approaches, they slowly open, and his mouth falls agape.

"Robin."

"Chrom."

"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to run?"

"When have I ever listened to what I've been told to do?" Robin laughs, and takes a few more steps towards her husband, who pushes himself up to standing and crosses the grass to meet her.

He scoops her up in his arms, and this action in itself is confirmation that he's not injured- as least, not life threateningly so. He plants kisses all over her face, and she can't help but laugh at how ridiculous the whole situation feels. Falchion stands in the grass behind them, abandoned by the exalt who's priorities clearly lie elsewhere.

"I heard you were strategizing," Robin comments as he sets her down, still not intent on letting her go.

"I learned from the best."

"I'm proud of you."

"What do you mean?" He asks, resting his chin atop her head.

"This was the most… leader-like I've ever seen you. And you did a damn good job. You have a prison full of criminals who commited crimes against the state! Arson, at the very least."

"Treason, dear."

"Don't be ridiculous-"

"I had Tharja look it up when we had finished fighting. A crime against any member of the royal family can be considered treason," he explains, intertwining his fingers with hers. "And I reckon that the consort to the exalt counts as a member of the royal family, wouldn't you?"

"I guess," Robin mumbles against his chest.

"They'll get a good long time inside. Not here, of course. I'll send them to the main prison once they've had their trial."

"I love you," Robin blurts out suddenly. "You've been doing so much, and I feel like I don't say it enough to you."

"I love you too," Chrom says, a smile appearing on her face at his wife's bluntness. "I always have, ever since I met you, and I promise you, I always will."

"Thank you," the queen whispers, trying her best to muffle her sobs, and her king merely pats her back, a wordless gesture that means so much to her.

* * *

Dressed head to toe in his regalia, Chrom regards Robin with a soft smile as she puts her earrings in, getting as close to the mirror as she physically can. It's been a few days from the fighting stopped, the city as back to normal as possible. Many people are without a home, and many more homes have been damaged, with repairs on going. Chrom has decided to make a speech, and Robin insists on coming with him to the balcony overlooking Ylisstol, so she too can say her part.

"You look lovely," he comments, as she fastens her cape, draping it carefully across her shoulders.

"You don't scrub up too bad yourself, might I say," she laughs, fixing his crown. He lifts her's from her dressing table, pinning it into her hair, sitting upright at the back of her head.

"You do remind me of Emmeryn, you know.'

"How so? She was a lot more tolerant and kind than I could ever be."

"Don't be ridiculous. The people love you."

"I wasn't aware riots because of my race were a form of showing your love."

"Okay, okay. But you are beautiful, just like my sister. And you're smart, and…"

"Enough with the compliments. Let's just get on with this. Today is going to be hard enough as it is."

The couple walks through the corridors, over to the balcony that looks out over the city. It hasn't been long since they were last there- Morgan's birth was announced from that pedestal as well. Today is different. There's a more sombre feel in the air, and no one says a word to Chrom and Robin as they pass, heads held high. Maribelle places a hand on Robin's arm with a smile, and the queen manages a small smile in return.

They can hear Libra through the curtain, calling out prayers of healing, of forgiveness, of safety. They hover behind the purple curtains, not wanting to interrupt an otherwise sacred time. They hear a muttered 'Amen' from the Priest, and then the chorused repeat from the masses of people who are clearly gathered in the city below. Robin manages to stifle a quiet gasp, looking to Chrom in comfort.

"How many people do you reckon are out there?"

"Probably most of the city," he says, his face ashen. "I too haven't faced a crowd this large before. I've only ever been up here with you, or when I was too young to remember, like when Lissa was born. I tend to shy away from using this sort of place."

"You should've married Maribelle," Robin groans, rubbing her forehead. "She would've been so much better at this sort of thing."

"But I don't _love_ Maribelle. Not in the same way I love you. I love the hard work she does, and how dedicated she is not only to you but to all the shepherds, but I don't think I could put up with her on a daily basis."

"It's hard," Robin laughs, trying to make light of the situation. "I don't know how Gaius puts up with her."

"Gods, you two are awful," Maribelle's voice comes from down the corridor, the clicking of her boots evident.

"Maribelle!"

"I was just informed- very late, thank you very much- that I'm supposed to announce you."

"That's part of your job, Maribelle," Chrom points out.

"I know, but a little forewarning would be nice!"

"You announced us before, when Morgan was born, did you not?" Robin questions.

"Yes, but- oh, you two are so irritating! Honestly…" As Libra pushes his way back through the curtain, respectfully bowing to Chrom and Robin, Maribelle rolls her eyes for a final time, and walks onto the balcony herself. She clears her throat.

"Ladies and gentlemen! Citizens of Ylisstol." Her voice wavers at the end of her sentence, and Robin has to hold back a laugh. It was so unusual to hear Robin nervous. "Here to speak on the behalf of the entire House of Ylisse, His Royal Highness, Exalt Chrom," she called out, and he winces at the use of his technical title, "and his wife, Her Royal Highness, Lady Robin!"

They walk onto the balcony, and Maribelle steps aside, heading back inside the castle. Knowing her, she's probably standing directly behind the curtain, using her position as head of security as an excuse to eavesdrop. Chrom steps forward, leaving Robin a pace behind. She won't complain, however- it means that Chrom is going to talk, meaning that she might not have to.

"Ylisstol is in ruins," he begins, and Robin nods slowly. "Riots broke out a few nights ago. For those who are unaware, you are now aware. These riots were racist, aimed against the community of Plegians who live here in Ylisse. The country of Plegia is our neighbour, and although we have a tricky and complicated history with them, including countless wars, we are now in a time of peace with our desert neighbour.

"I may have accidentally started these riots, with my words, rather than I myself taking to the streets. For a while I was fearful of Plegia. As you all know, Robin, my wife, is from Plegia, and is the daughter of the previous king, Validar. I can promise you that she does not share any views with her late father, and has been through enough in her time with us in the shepherds to earn our trust that she does not side with them. Of course, that means our children are half Ylissian, half Plegian.

"Our son, Morgan, born only a few months ago, shares both the mark of Grima and the brand of the Exalt. Somehow, he is inexplicably tied to both our royal house, and the cult that follows the Fell Dragon, Grima. Of course, as both third in line to the throne and a child that bears the mark of Grima, those in charge of Plegia wanted Morgan for themselves, to raise as a ruler for their country when the child comes of age." Chrom takes a deep breath to steady himself, and Robin places her hand on his shoulder caringly, showing her support.

"I was scared," Chrom admits. "I was scared that these people would take my son. So therefore, I warned of the evils within the Plegian government. However, my words were reinterpreted. They were taken by some to mean that all Plegians were bad, and while we were fighting rioters to protect our castle, I heard people speak against my wife personally. This is treason. And those people have been arrested and reprimanded and will be given a fair trial." Chrom coughs slightly, and there is a groan from the crowd, mixed with the jeers of those who supported the riot. Robin steps forward, allowing Chrom a moment to gather himself.

"I don't know what to say in situations like these. An attack on people of any race is bad, but when it is people of my race, from my country, including myself, I cannot stay silent. Although I do not have particularly strong ties to Plegia, I still do not want my people discriminated against. I left Plegia when I was eighteen, and due to amnesia, I don't remember much of my life before I woke up here in Ylisse. But I consider this country my home, and I don't wish to see it destroyed. So that's why both Chrom and I will personally be involved in rebuilding the city." She nods, tears welling up in her eyes involuntarily. Chrom steps back beside her, taking her hand within his own.

"We will provide monetary aid to those who are out of home, and the council will direct money to rebuild houses that have been destroyed. We want Ylisstol back to its former glory, but that can only happen with the cooperation of the citizens. You. If you help us, the city can be restored in no time at all."

He takes another deep breath, trying to collect his thoughts. He should've written a speech properly, he should've planned this, but he didn't thinking that speaking from the heart would've been the best way forward. And he's not wrong- he has the people under the balcony in the palm of his hand, hungrily eating up every word that pours from his mouth. And Robin is there to comfort him when he stumbles on his words, adding those of her own.

They last another twenty minutes up there, pouring their hearts out, before they decide that the people have heard enough reasoning and excuses and pleas for help. They thank their audience, who whoop and cheer, even though this isn't really the time or the place. They wave and smile, then turn sharply and leave, pushing the way through the velvet curtain back to where it's safe. Where all eyes are on them still, but they're kind and loving and caring, and they can be helped by those who care the most.

* * *

A letter arrives, with a seal from Plegia closing the back. Robin's initial reaction is to panic, and she drops it on the ground, glaring at it. Chrom picks it up, and glances at the names on the front. 'Robin and Chrom' is written in a messy child's scrawl, and Robin looks on in confusion as Chrom breaks the wax seal and lifts the letter out. His eyes scan it briefly, before his face lights up when he gets to the end.

"Look at who's signed it," he comments, and Robin reads the signature at the bottom over his shoulder.

"HRH King Morgan of Plegia," she reads. There is a pause, before she tears the letter out of her husband's hands. "King Morgan! He did it!"

"This is wonderful news, especially considering all that's happened recently. Our bond with Plegia will become stronger than ever. I think this is a turning point for both our countries, don't you?" Chrom asks, grabbing Robin by the wait and pulling her close to him. She laughs, and wraps her arms around his neck.

"I do, as a matter of fact. I think a lot of good will come out of this."

"I can't see any bad that will, at least. Morgan is a good boy. He's smart, and will know what to do."

"I still worry, though. He's barely an adult."

"He's strong enough to look after himself, darling."

"I know, I know."

* * *

One sunny Sunday afternoon, Robin sits down at her desk in her study, long abandoned after her pregnancy. A stack of paper still sits completely intact on her desk, untouched by the queen, who didn't want to think about writing anything down during her pregnancy, never mind what Maribelle had suggested- an autobiography. It was true that any book the queen published would sell hundreds, if not thousands of copies. The private lives of royals was very interesting, she was told by Tharja, and many people wanted to know what was going on in the castle behind closed doors.

So when the sun was still falling on her page, Robin started writing- right from the start, as far back as she could remember. The blue sky above the field. The grass that tickled her face. The gloved hand that took hers and pulled her close to the owner. The laugh of a girl, who introduced herself and the others, with infinite kindness that she was sure she would never come across again. The clank of the armour of the lieutenant, and his stern glare whenever she couldn't even remember her own name.

The rush of holding a tome for the first time, and defeating her first enemy. The feeling of elation when she finally took that bath in Ylisstol. The snow falling on her face in Ferox, numbing her face in comparison to the scorching sands of Plegia, where she trudged through the desert for days on end. The shock of death, all around her, wherever she turned. The rush she received when her tactics worked, and she pulled though.

And of course, the people she met. Her upper class retainer who turned her nose up at almost everything she did. The quiet dancer who became Khan of Ferox, and her stoic husband who had a heart of gold underneath his tough exterior. The Pegasus Knights, in love despite everything the world through against them. Two Manaketes, and a taguel, people she didn't even know existed. The dark mage who was all over her, protective and slightly scared, and the kind mage that became her brother in law after everything was over.

And of course, her lord. The sword wielding man who stayed by her side through thick and thin, holding her close to him after nightmares woke her from her slumber. Who held her hair when she was sick, who gave her two beautiful children that she loved more than anyone in the world. Her daughter, sprightly and adventurous, who she knew would grow up to be just like her time travelling counterpart. And her new baby son, who cried in the middle of the night and slept through the day, who would turn into a smarter version of the current king of Plegia.

She writes the whole book in under a week, barely leaving her study, apart from for meals. Chrom takes up responsibility of Morgan while she scribbles and scribbles and scribbles, writing every single word that comes into her head. She's struck with inspiration, and everyone knows to leave her when she's like this. It's the same with tactics- she needs silence to think, no need to discuss in a situation like this. There are only a number of pages left, and Robin thinks that it's probably time to end.

She dots the 'i' on the first word of the page- "epilogue". She draws a swirly line under it. She taps her pen against the page. No words come into the Queen's head, even though the rest of her memoir came easily to her. Hundreds of pages of writings sit beside her, face down on the table, all handwritten in her meticulous script. But this part, the last part, is a struggle. How does one finish a book? How should she write the epilogue? She considers asking Maribelle- after all, it would be a good excuse for the troubadour to boast about how good an idea it was and how many thousands of copies she'll sell. But Robin doesn't. Instead, she puts the quill back into the inkwell, abandoning the page, never to be finished. After all, how do you write an epilogue to something that's not really finished?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this and putting up with all my late chapters ;; two more parts to come about Lucina and Inigo! They're super cute and will be here all through January or possibly the end of December depending on how bored I get during Christmas break.

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday chrom have some angst. also fyi sumia and cordelia are gfs bye


End file.
